Hurt
by TheGoodWitchoftheNorth
Summary: I hurt myself today to see if I still feel. I focus on the pain, the only thing that's real... Dedicated to all HP and NIN fans! SSHG. PostHPB.Somewhat DH compliant. Spoilers included. Rated M for later chapters. Chapter 22 uploaded! No flames please!
1. Ch 1: Hurt

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author's Notes: First and foremost, I do not own the Harry Potter characters or Snape, and the lyrics in the story are from random Nine Inch Nails songs. Why did I pick that band? I believe Severus Snape can relate to the wonderful works of Trent Reznor (not to mention the fact that he sort of reminds me of an old-school Trent, especially from the "Closer" video). In this story, there are suicide attempts and later on some Hermione and Snape action.

On a side note, I have decided to keep Hermione's original middle name instead of going by the recent change JKR made in _Deathly Hallows_. Personally, I find Hermione Jane prettier than Hermione Jean.

One more thing. This story is HBP compliant but non-DH compliant to a certain degree. It takes place after the supposed defeat of Voldemort had DH gone another direction.

**Warning: Contains violence, sex, and suicidal attempts. Also, this is a Hermione Granger/Severus Snape shipping. Do not read if this bothers you!**

Chapter One: Hurt

It was just an ordinary night at Hogwarts. Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, and some other Gryffindors spent their evening having a ball with Ron's latest creation: the pin-the-snake-on-Professor-Snape game. This was obviously one of Ron's many creative games against Severus Snape. Every Gryffindor boy hated the Potions Master because of his strict behavior in the classroom (they were certain Gryffindor was last in the competition for house points with -490 house points and did not have a chance to catch up with Hufflepuff, who sat at third at 5), and Snape was known to give every student, mostly Gryffindor, detention at least once during his or her school year. But Harry Potter, The-Boy-Who-Lived, had a better reason to hate the Greasy Git. The bastard was a former Death Eater, and Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters were responsible for the death of his parents James and Lily Potter.

Outside the loud and rowdy Gryffindor common room, a seventh-year Hermione Granger continued to study for her potions exam the following day. She could not understand why the boys refused to crack open their books and prepare for what could be the worst exam ever. Her ears perked up as she heard the hoots and hollers coming from the other side of the door. Moments later, Ron burst open the door and exclaimed, "I did it, 'Mione! I pinned the snake on the git!"

She closed the book and approached the young redheaded wizard, her eyes darting daggers at him. "That's nice, Ronald," she replied, pushing her friend back to the common room. "Now let me study in peace!" She slammed the door shut just to get her point across, but when Ron received a look from Harry, he gave a sheepish grin and said, "It's her time of the month, I guess. You know how girls can get moody!"

But in the darkest part of the wizarding school, life was not so carefree or quiet for a learning environment like a library. The Slytherins lived in that area, plotting ways to get even with Harry, who seemed to be the most talked-about student there ever was since the days of his father. Besides He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named, Draco Malfoy was his biggest and constant threat, especially during a Quidditch match, and he was certain that he would defeat Harry once and for all.

And yet somewhere far away from the dungeons, near the scene of a crime he had committed years before, lurked the presence of the school's least favorite professor – Severus Snape. He sat along the open windowsill of his bedchamber, looking out at the lake that stood nearby. From where he sat, he could see Hagrid's new cabin lit up with smoke coming from the fireplace and the darkness inside the Malfoy Manor with the exception of the dim light coming from the living room. Perhaps Lucius is sitting at the fireplace contemplating about a new Death Eater plan, Severus thought. With Voldemort gone once again, there had been fewer threats from the radical wizarding group.

It was peaceful, perhaps too peaceful. His long greasy black hair that touched his shoulders hid his snarky appearance – a pair of black eyes, and a crooked yet hooked nose – and blended in with the darkness. His white shirt was left unbuttoned so he could feel the wind against his burning skin, and he only wore his black trousers from the waist down.

But in his hand, he tossed a silver object that gleamed in the moonlight. He stared at it for a while as he tried to forget the pain that was throbbing in his left arm since the day he became part of the Death Eaters. But he was not a Death Eater anymore, just a spy and an employee for the new headmistress Minerva McGonagall.

The memory of Albus Dumbledore's death remained in his mind. After all, he was the one who killed the magical headmaster. A part of him was filled with relief and joy, but another part of him was filled with anguish and sorrow. The old man did take him under his wing as a little boy like a father figure. And Severus had killed him in the end at his request, although several members from the Order did not believe the tale.

He tossed the object one more time because he caught it and pushed it open. He lowered it down to his gaze and smirked at the sight of a blade. Placing it against his Dark Mark, he thought of sad, cruel memories that flooded his memory as he slowly pushed the blade into his skin.

_I hurt myself today_

_To see if I still feel_

_I focus on the pain_

_The only thing that's real_

_The needle tears a hole_

_The old familiar sting_

_Try to kill it all away_

_But I remember everything…_

Severus groaned at the pain caused by the throbbing of his Dark Mark being cut open by a sharp knife. "Damn," he cursed. He saw a small path of blood trickling down his arm, covering the tattoo that he could not wash away, not even with the most powerful potion he could create.

He took the knife again and made another slash on his arm. And another. And finally another. He hated his life ever since he was brought into the world. His father was abusive toward his mother, a former student at Hogwarts, until he had beaten her to death in a drunken stupor and then took his own life by a bullet in the head. He spent his schooling years at Hogwarts studying in hopes for a better life.

But trouble had followed him from home no matter where he went. For seven years as a student, he was tormented by the Marauders – Sirius Black, Remus Lupin, Peter Pettigrew, and, the man he grew to hate, James Potter, the late father of Harry Potter. Just like the nerd in a Muggle class (but without the glasses, of course), he was an easy target because he was a bookworm and loved school.

Yet besides those years of torture came the years of sexual frustration. For as long as he could remember, he had a crush on his best friend Lily Evans, a wonderful redheaded Gryffindor. They almost had the same mind and the same passions. And she was the only person who ever cared for him, pitied him whenever James and his friends were picking on him, and saw him as a good person despite of his house.

She just did not feel the same love for him in the end, though, all because he called her a mudblood after experiencing what was the most embarrassing moment of his life. One day during their seventh year, weeks before they all had graduated, he had received a wedding invitation from Evans.

And Potter.

That last bit of hope disappeared, and he had quickly made up his mind. He called upon Lucius Malfoy, a fellow Slytherin, for help. Malfoy knew it was time to bring Severus Snape into a group that would never let him down and actually offer him something for his life – the Death Eaters. They were the group that was known for murdering wizards, witches, and their families, especially those of Muggle blood. Little did they know, Severus was already thinking about leaving as the year progressed.

_What have I become?_

_My sweetest friend_

_Everyone one I know_

_Goes away in the end_

_You can have it all_

_My empire of dirt_

_I will let you down_

_I will make your hurt…_

Then it happened. He was standing in the house of the Potters, watching in delight as Voldemort murdered James Potter. But that smirk vanished as the Dark Magic killed the young and beautiful Lily Potter. In her limped arms was a baby crying for his mother.

Voldemort was proud of his victory and was certain he had won, but there was something in that little baby that was so strong Dark Magic could not touch him. In fact, just when Voldemort was about to obliterate the infant Harry Potter, magical powers sent the Dark Lord into imprisonment for eleven years. And the Potions Master himself left the Death Eaters for the time being.

_I wear my crown of shit_

_Upon my liar's chair_

_Full of broken thoughts_

_I cannot repair…_

That was the sad story of Severus Snape. And there he was, slicing his arm one more time. Had he not turn to Lucius that fateful night, he could have been happier. Albus Dumbledore could have been alive as well. But what about Potter? Would he still have been powerful then or weak and easily defeated?

Hours later, the bleeding stopped and the crimson blood dried on his left arm. I should wash this off before someone decides to question me about it, he thought as he slid off his windowsill and walked into the bathroom.

In his bed of green linens, Severus looked at the dark ceiling above him and sighed. His eyes were full of pain and grief and his arm was bandaged up for the night. But he did not feel the need to sleep without experiencing another nightmare.

_Beneath the stain of time_

_The feeling disappears_

_You are someone else_

_I am still right here…_

For several years, he had been haunted by his memories of Lily Evans from their first encounter on their first ride of Hogwarts to her gruesome death. Was it because Harry was attending Hogwarts or was it something else such as reincarnation? Another Lily Evans living in that same building but as a student once more? "Why are you doing this to me, Lily?" Severus whispered before falling asleep. "Why are you torturing me so?" His last coherent thought was the possibility of Lily Evans in the body of an intelligent Gryffindor girl.

Suddenly, his black eyes shot open. "Hermione Granger?" he asked aloud.

_If I could start again_

_A million miles away_

_I would keep myself_

_I would find a way…_

Yes, Hermione Granger, the daughter of two Muggle dentists in London, was the only student he could think of. She was a Gryffindor, brilliant for her age, and the best friend of Lily's son, a connection with the Potter family, that is. Could it be possible, he thought.

One thing was for certain, though. He was somehow going to find out the history of one of his – dare he say – best students he had ever had in his classroom. After all, he was not sorted into Slytherin for nothing.

Please read and review! Thank you so much!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	2. Ch 2: Every Day Is Exactly the Same, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too. But while I am on the subject of Chapter One, let me make a few points:

1). When I first heard the song "Hurt," the first Harry Potter character that came into my mind was obviously Severus Snape. The song matches his mood, his past, and his persona. Actually, when you think about it, some of those Nine Inch Nails songs scream Severus Snape, right?

2). In most of the chapters to come, I will be splitting up some NIN songs and selecting a few good lyrics that will make the story flow smoothly. In some cases, I will mix and match songs to help readers get an idea what is going on in Snape's mind.

3). And just to make you lemon-lovers and SS/HG fanatics happy, I have already picked "Closer" and "The Perfect Drug" for later chapters.

4). Thanks to everyone who have reviewed Chapter One! I will have to be honest here: I do not own any Harry Potter books, but one of my friends introduced me to some SS/HG fan fics a while ago. I do have an understanding of Snape's personality (yeah, I haven't seen the movies, either), so I will try my best not to make Snape fall in love quickly with Hermione and vice versa. I'll probably make him a tease to the poor girl. ;-)

Okay, on with the story!

Chapter Two: Every Day Is Exactly the Same, pt. 1

No one questioned Severus about his arm the following morning as he made his way down the Great Hall. Then again, no one would have seen his arm under his thick black robes. The students noticed him walking quickly past them as they ate their breakfast. He did not glance down to acknowledge their presence.

Except for one girl – Hermione Granger.

Her brown eyes met his dark gaze, and for a moment, she could have sworn she saw something besides darkness in those black orbs. But she could not tell exactly what she had seen. After all, she concluded, he was in a rush. He always was.

Harry and Ron, on the other hand, noticed the same thing and glanced at each other. "Was it me, Ron, or did Snape give Hermione a strange look?" Harry whispered to his friend.

"I think you might be right," Ron replied before going back to his meal.

_I believe I can see the future_

'_Cause I repeat the same routine_

Severus took his place at the staff table next to Minerva and waited patiently for his meal from the house elves. "Fine day we are having, Professor Snape," said the elderly witch.

He looked back at her for a moment and shrugged his shoulders. "I suppose so," he answered. A house elf from the Ravenclaw house approached him with his breakfast – biscuit and gravy with sausage.

Anger flared in his eyes and he turned his attention to a smirking Minerva McGonagall. "What in Merlin's name is going on here?" he hissed. "Why are the elves serving Muggle food?"

"Well, for starters, I am the new Headmistress, am I not right?" she asked.

"Yes, but –"

"And I can do whatever I want to with this school, right?"

"Of course, but this–"

She raised a wrinkly hand to silence the Potions Master. "Then listen to me, Severus Snape. I talked to some of the seventh year students a few weeks ago after they were settled in for the new school year."

"Let me guess – Gryffindor?"

"Severus," she warned.

He knew that familiar tone of voice and quickly stopped himself from making a snide remark toward her favorite house. His only response was a snort.

"Thank you," said the headmistress. "As I was saying, yes, I did talk the seventh year students from Gryffindor – including the Golden Trio, so don't even ask – and I was wondering what they would prefer to have for their meals. And in case you were going to ask whose idea it was to have Muggle food, it was Mr. Weasley's, not the school's favorite boy.

"Anyway, I was not too certain if that would go well with the other students, but I believe it did. I even like this biscuit and gravy with sausage patties. But I did this for the students, especially the first years who miss home very much. This is a gentle reminder of those whose lives once belonged in the Muggle world."

Severus was appalled as he heard the headmistress herself say that she liked what was on her plate. Oh, the nerve of the woman, he thought bitterly, trying to accommodate those bloody little tyrants! He turned to a Slytherin house elf standing not too far away, signaling him to come over to his part of the staff table. He gave the little creature his plate and whispered, "Please, give me the usual from now on."

He lifted himself back up into a normal upright position and stared at the row of students in front of him. Minerva glanced over to find his plate gone. "Finished?" she asked.

Severus crossed his arms in content and replied, "Yes. I am just waiting for seconds. Mmm… That tasted good."

"I am not impress with you dry sense of humor, Professor," Minerva sighed, rolling her eyes.

He knew it right away from the tone of her voice that it was going to be another long day for Severus – breakfast with the staff and students, potions class, lunch and dinner with everyone again, and, of course, detention if necessary. So far, only a few students were unfortunate to have detention, though none of which were members of the Golden Trio.

As he began to eat the "usual," his gaze lingered to the Gryffindor girl who was completely oblivious to him. He watched Hermione talk to Ginny Weasley as Harry and Ron continued to eat their breakfast. For quite a while since her first year, he had been watching her, as if he had to look after her besides just being her Potions professor. He never knew why he was secretly attracted to her as she grew older.

He truly did not have a reason to hate her either, despite of what she believed.

He suddenly knew she felt his gaze on her when he saw her turn toward him with a look of uncertainty in her eyes. To make sure she was not starting to gather suspicion about what he had done, he turned to the Slytherin table.

And to think I have my first Potions class with her, he thought.

This was indeed going be a long day.

_I think I used to have a purpose_

_But then again_

_That might have been a dream_

Potions class with seventh year students was no different than when they were first year dunderheads. Potter and Weasley were still up to no good. Draco Malfoy was always trying his best to earn house points from Severus, the Head of the Slytherin House himself.

And that insufferable know-it-all Gryffindor he had his eye on was still helping Neville Longbottom with their potions assignment. Let it be known that Severus Snape never allowed students to work with each other. He had always felt that working alone would force his students to think for themselves. Needless to say, that particular graduating class always bent his rules no matter how hard he tried to enforce them.

It was no wonder Gryffindor was falling behind in house points.

"Today," Severus began as the students settled down in their assigned seats, "I have decided to move your exam to next week, primarily because I caught a few questions that need to be covered before you dunderheads fail. Instead, you will be working on one of the twenty hardest potions I have set aside for you this year. As seventh year students, I expect you to know what you must do in order to get a decent, if not, a better grade from me." He pointed his wand to the chalkboard behind him, and the ingredients and directions magically appeared before the students' eyes. "Get to work," he hissed.

For the first ten minutes of class, everything was going according to his plan, if you could say he had one to begin with. No one complained about how difficult the assignment was. Harry and Ron were minding their own business. Draco was diligently working on his potion at a decent pace – quickly and perfectly.

But when Severus reached Hermione and Neville, he frowned at the sight of what was happening right before him. He overheard Longbottom asking her for help, but she tried her best not to accept the request.

"Neville, you're a seventh year student," she scolded. "You need to start thinking on your own."

"But I am lost, 'Mione!" Neville begged. "Please, help me! The professor will never know. You've always helped me in the past, so why stop now?"

Severus watched in disappointment as Hermione reluctantly gave in. How in Merlin's name did that stupid Longbottom kid become a wizard? Hogwarts would never allow him in if they knew what was going on! But for Hermione's sake, he wanted to let her do a good deed in his class, even if that did mean helping a student like Neville Longbottom. She might have been an annoying yet intelligent girl, but he to admit one thing though – she had a heart full of compassion of love.

Just like Lily Evans.

_I think I used to have a voice_

_Now I never make a sound_

Then again, if he did let her have her way, that would ruin his reputation of being the "Greasy Git" and the "Bat of the Dungeons." That would not make him Severus Snape, the horrible and dreaded Potions Master of Hogwarts. And letting her off the bat would make a certain blonde Slytherin jealous. Facing his father, Lucius, was never a good thing when it came to the best of Draco's education.

"Miss Granger!" Severus snapped. "Twenty points from Gryffindor for breaking the rules of my classroom!"

From the other side of the room, the girl heard Draco snickering at his station. She glared at the Potions Master with fire in her eyes. "I tried to tell Neville to work on his own, sir," she said.

"But you helped him nonetheless. Am I right, Miss Granger?"

"Yes, but–"

"Then that is still considered as breaking the rules." He walked away coolly and then added, "By the way, an additional ten points from Gryffindor for giving no respect to the teacher and detention for you at 8:00 tonight, Miss Granger. Sharp."

How she hated that teacher! Hermione went back at her project, not speaking a word to anyone until Neville timidly said, "I'm sorry, Hermione. I'll never ask you for help again."

She looked at her classmate and nodded her head. "Apology accepted."

When class was dismissed, everyone filed out the door with Hermione Granger being the last one in the line. She glared at him, the Bat of the Dungeons himself, and thought to herself, why must he be this way to everyone?

_I just do what I've been told_

Severus smirked for he was able to read her mind. "I am just doing what I have been told, Miss Granger," he answered. "I am trying to make you, as you would say, an intelligent and knowledgeable witch."

Hermione looked at him and huffed. "Don't read my mind again, sir."

He said nothing except that friendly reminder she loathed to hear. "See you in the dungeons tonight at 8:00, Miss Granger. Enjoy the rest of your day."

As she closed the door behind her, he sighed and sat in his chair at his desk. He was just about to relax when he felt the throbbing in his left arm. "Damn it," he cursed, rolling up his sleeves. It was no surprise that there were no blade marks on his skin when he ripped the bandage away from his skin. Instead, his Dark Mark was glowing dimly.

Severus shook his head and groaned. He might have been an ex-Death Earth, but he was assigned by the Order to be a spy for Dumbledore – now McGonagall – and he had to attend the meetings so everyone was prepared for a possible attack, whether or not Voldemort was alive.

As much as he trusted his "friends," he too did not want them to attack Hogwarts. "Even though he is gone, it seems like his objectives are still here," he muttered. "Why can't they leave me alone?"

_I really just don't want them to come around again_

_Oh no_

I am pleased with the reviews for Chapter One, so please do the same for Chapter Two! Thanks:D

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	3. Ch 3: Something I Can Never Have, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too. And let me clarify something… I know the late Johnny Cash did "Hurt." BUT Mr. Reznor of Nine Inch Nails wrote it and recorded it on the album (I believe) _The Downward Spiral_ about a decade before. If anyone disagrees with that, please see me.

Chapter Three: Something I Can Never Have, pt. 1

7:59.

One more minute before you face the Greasy Git, Hermione thought as she stood outside the door to the dungeons. At least I'll have some warmth. It was a cold evening in the darkest part of Hogwarts. But then again, it was always cold and the know-it-all decided to wear a skirt instead of slacks. Nice thinking, 'Mione. You couldn't have picked out a better time to wear a skirt to detention with _him_.

The clock struck 8:00 and from the distance, Hermione could hear bells chiming. "Here goes nothing," she murmured, holding her books close to her small chest. She opened the door slowly and peered inside the room. Besides a few stacks of books and a black and deep caldron, Severus Snape was nowhere to be seen.

Maybe he's running late, she thought. She closed the door behind her and took a seat at the desk in front of her. She looked around for a moving dark figure of an overgrown bat, but none could be found. Then, she felt something creeping up behind her like a shadow. She quickly turned around and found…

"Professor! You scared me!"

Severus raised an eyebrow and replied, "You should be. You should have been after all these years, Miss Granger." Putting his hands behind his back, he walked over to the front of his desk and looked at the caldron to his left. Ah yes, that would be a good place to start, he thought. "I have decided to spare you some book work for tonight," he said. "But that does not mean I will let you off the hook. You are to clean this caldron thoroughly. After that, I will have your second 'punishment' ready." He made sure that when he said "punishment," his gaze turned toward his prey.

"P-p-punishment?" asked Hermione.

"Of course. What do you think detention was, silly girl? A time to receive praises? Absolutely not! Now get to work!"

Hermione said nothing nor did she make a sound. She simply put on a cleaning apron around her slim waist and a pair of gloves and then fetched some water and soap for her bucket. Who does he think he is, she thought, the wicked stepmother in _Cinderella_?

Severus chuckled to himself as he heard what went through her brilliant mind. "I could do worse, Miss Granger."

She froze for a moment as the water from the sink continued to fill her bucket. "What do you mean, sir?"

"I could give you a punishment much more severe than just cleaning this caldron. Surely, you do not want that?" His lips twitched into a small smile, and he sat at the desk covered with essays that needed to be graded. "By the way, your bucket is overflowing."

Hermione glanced down at the small sink and quickly turned off the taps before water began to flow from the sink onto the floor. Picking up the now heavy wooden bucket, she trudged over to the black caldron and tipped the large object onto its side. She got onto her hands and knees and began to scrub the inside of it. She started from the bottom and worked her way out at a decent pace.

Severus, on the other hand, would occasionally look up from his work and see how the insufferable know-it-all was doing. But a few minutes later, he looked up at the wrong time… well, more like the fact that he was at the wrong place at the wrong time.

He caught a glimpse of Hermione's new white thong due to the fact that her skirt was bunched up around her waist. And because of the wonderful sight he had seen, his erection was slowly aroused and begged for attention. Damn it, woman, he thought. You wore that just for me, didn't you? You knew I was going to give you this punishment!

"Miss Granger," he called as he walked toward her. "Will you please pull your skirt down – I mean, fix it or something?"

"Is there something wrong, Professor?" asked Hermione, her voice echoing in the pit of the caldron. She pulled away to look at Severus, but what he saw was different.

In the midst of his painful torture in his trousers, he saw the face of Lily Evans with eyes filled with curiosity. And for a moment, he thought he heard her ask, "What is it, Severus? What do you need?"

_I still recall the taste of my tears_

_Echoing your voice just like the ringing in my ears_

The illusion figure of Lily placed her washcloth aside and walked over to the entranced Potions Master who was still shivering in fear. She stood less than a foot in front of him but did not move. She stood there like a statue, waiting to be touched.

In her green eyes, he could see his past replaying itself from his childhood to his teenage years at Hogwarts to the day he took the Dark Mark and now up to the present day where he became the most hated professor in the wizarding school. And yet somewhere in those memories were the feelings he had felt for Lily, those pleasant memories of her being a friend to him and yet he barely treated her like one in the end.

Those were the memories that made him lose sleep every night. He just simply did not want to lose them, despite of the pain behind them.

_My favorite dreams of you still wash ashore_

_Scraping through my head till I don't want to sleep anymore_

"Severus, what's wrong?" asked the mysterious redhead.

"You can't be real!" he gasped.

"I am very real." She longed to touch him and yet she still did not move an inch. "Please tell me what's wrong. I want to help you!"

_Come on tell me_

"But I watched you die! You can't be alive!" He scrambled to find a place to sit, but since he was leaning against the table with nowhere to run, he had to accommodate himself to the small space between him and the imaginary Lily.

And at the same time, he had to figure out how to awake himself from this spell he had cast onto himself.

_Make this all go away_

_You make this all go away_

_I'm down to just one thing_

_And I'm starting to scare myself_

"Severus? What do you need?"

He looked at her luscious lips and his control snapped. Grabbing her arms, he hauled her against him until they were face to face. Then, he lost his mind, cursing himself for his stupidity.

He kissed her hard but passionately.

_Make this go away_

_You make this go away_

He was so lost in the kiss he barely felt reality kick in until he felt someone tugging at his black hair. He pulled back and instead of green eyes, his dark orbs met brown irises. Instead of smooth and red hair, his fingers were dug into curly strands of brown tendrils.

Instead of kissing Lily Evans, he was kissing Hermione Granger!

He abruptly pushed her away and wiped his mouth with the sleeve of his favorite black frock coat. Once he was able to regain his train of thought, he found a trembling know-it-all cowering before him, completely the opposite of a true Gryffindor. He saw tears forming in her eyes for she was thinking he would do more than just give her another detention. For Merlin's sake, you kissed the girl, he thought, all because of your love for Lily who is already dead!

He heard the sobbing and the prayer to the gods that he would not harm her despite of what had happened. He had no right to do what he had done. After all, it was against the rules to have a student/teacher relationship, and a mere kiss was just the foundation of it.

Five minutes had passed and nothing was still accomplished. The essay that was originally being reviewed still had an unfinished comment from Severus Snape. The caldron was nearly halfway clean with the rag lying next to the large pot. And Hermione was still crying.

Severus finally spoke in a soft voice. "I am sorry," he apologized. "I should have not kissed you."

Hermione wiped away her tears and looked at the Potions Master with eyes of wonder. "Why did you do that, Professor?"

Yes, why indeed, he thought. How could he tell her that he thought she was Harry Potter's mother? That would have been a joke to her. But sad to say, it was the truth. "I thought you were someone I once knew a long time ago," he replied.

She lowered her gaze to the floor and whispered, "Oh." Had this had happen in the Muggle world, she would assume that he was on drugs or hallucinogens. But in the wizarding world, anything was possible, especially an occasional trick of the eye. Looking at the washcloth and the caldron, she knew it was time to get back to work. She saw Severus take a seat at his desk again and grade the essays.

From that moment on, it was nothing but a room full of silence.

When Hermione was finished with her chore, she noticed that she had another hour and a half to go. But what does he want me to do next, she asked. She slowly approached his desk and asked, "Sir, I'm done. What is there for me to do as part as my other punishment?"

Severus did not stop writing or look up to acknowledge the Gryffindor student's existence. "You may leave early, Miss Granger. I have decided not to give you the other punishment. But I expect you to not give into Mr. Longbottom's pleas for help again. You knew better, but consider this as your warning."

"Yes, sir." With that, she grabbed her books and walked out the door, never looking back. Her night was weird indeed. The Greasy Git had kissed her! What in Merlin's name did he do that for? What had she done to make him do such a thing?

But as she continued to hurry back to her room, she felt a breeze coming up from behind, and then she realized the answer to her question. "It was my thong," she sighed in frustration. She made a mental note right then and there to wear something else besides a skirt to detention.

She surely did not want to feel _his_ lips on hers again!

Meanwhile, back in the dungeons, Severus could not concentrate on his grading. He put his quill down and lowered his face into his hands as he thought about the event that had occurred between Hermione Granger and him. Why did I do that, he thought. Why did I kiss her? She may be intelligent, but she is far from being Lily!

He touched his lips and felt something burning inside him. It felt so good to have her in his arms kissing him so innocently and sweetly. Had she not pulled on his hair, there was no telling what he could have done next.

"Why must you do this to me, Lily?" he asked. "You know I cannot stand this kind of torture."

Severus realized that he was not getting anything accomplished for the very first time. Sighing, he grabbed his stack of papers and headed toward his private chamber on the other side of the school, and as he reached his door, he thought about the condition of Hermione. Was she still crying because of what he had done? Probably, he thought. He whispered his password and the door magically unlocked itself.

As he sipped on his firewhiskey, all he could think about was that one heated moment with Hermione Granger, the insufferable know-it-all of Gryffindor. "I must be crazy," he murmured.

He did know one thing for certain, though. That night was going to be a long night.

A long night indeed!

_I just want something_

_I just want something I can never have_

Thank you all for leaving reviews for Chapter Two! Do the same for this chapter, please!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	4. Ch 4: Something I Can Never Have, 2

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too. In case you were lost in Chapter Three, Severus became rather distracted and delusional during detention, and instead of seeing Hermione he was seeing the Mrs. Potter. Chapter Four is mainly about their reactions that very same night. I'm sorry if you were expecting some kind of action, but I am trying my best not to rush through it.

Chapter Four: Something I Can Never Have, pt. 2

Hermione opened the door to her private room still feeling scared and confused. She placed her books on her desk and flopped onto her bed with a pillow tucked under her neck. Hot tears ran down her face as she cried to herself. "Why did he have to do such a thing?" she asked.

Her orange cat Crookshanks found his mistress on her bed and rubbed his head against her left shoulder. Hermione looked at her pet, smiled a little, and began to massage his fur. "I don't understand, Crooks," she said. "The bloody git kissed me because he thought I was someone else. I somehow don't believe it!"

"Don't believe what, 'Mione?" The young woman heard a familiar voice from the doorway only to find its owner. Ginny Weasley, one of the many Weasley children and Ron's sister, found her friend crying loudly while petting her cat. "What happened at detention?"

"Oh, Ginny, you do not want to know! It was a nightmare!"

"What did he do? Smack your ass one hundred times for being such a bad girl?" The thought of Severus Snape doing such a thing made the redhead giggle.

"Not funny, Ginerva Weasley," Hermione pouted. "It's far worse!"

"Try me."

"He kissed me!"

Ginny stopped her giggling and looked at her friend with suspicious eyes. "He what?"

"You heard me. His lips melted into mine! I have the taste of Professor Snape's tongue on mine! The Greasy Git, the Bat of the Dungeons, and the Snarky Snake of Slytherin himself kissed me!"

"And did you like it?

"Ginny, we're talking about Professor Snape, not… Viktor Krum or your brother! Snape is a teacher and a murderer that got off the hook from going to Azkaban thanks to that bloody Pensive and me! Why would he want to kiss me?"

"Don't yell too loud, 'Mione! You know the boys are going to get on your case about it, especially Ron!"

"Let them hear for all I care!" shouted Hermione. "Maybe Harry can hex our professor for me! If Snape dares to give me detention again, he can bloody well kiss my ass!"

"You know, I wouldn't blame him if he does."

"Does what? Give me detention?"

The redhead blushed and shook her head. "Nope. Kiss your ass. Literally."

The Head Girl fumed and pushed her best friend out of her room, locking the door after she slammed the wooden barrier shut. "I do not want to continue on with this discussion, Ginny! Unless you stop teasing me about my night with Professor Snape, you can forget about having breakfast with me tomorrow morning!"

Instead of the rattling of the doorknob or the pounding on the wood, Hermione heard nothing but silence on the other side of her door. She unlocked it and peaked out into the hallway. Ginny Weasley was nowhere in sight. In fact, the entire Gryffindor hall was quiet.

Hermione bit her lip as she scanned the area one more time. "Great," she muttered. "The entire school is going to hear about my interesting night tomorrow. Thanks a lot, Ginny." She shut the door and flopped onto her bed again with Crookshanks in her arms. "And thanks a lot, Granger, for telling Ginny in the first place," she added.

Meanwhile, Severus laid in his bed of green linens against his naked torso, recollecting his thoughts after a few good shots of firewhiskey. Still he was not drunk enough to get the young Gryffindor out of his head. He was very focused and very aware of his actions.

And his stupidity.

Why was I even thinking of Potter's mother in the first place, he thought. For the last seven years, I have been driven to the brink of insanity thanks to Miss Granger. And they are both intelligent women. No! Miss Granger is not a woman. She is a girl; a student, nevertheless. She is student, and I am her teacher. I should get fired for even kissing her.

But why did I do it? It is not that I find her attractive or anything. Sure, she had bushy hair when I first saw her, but she still appears to be incapable to tame the curls. It is still a mess. And she does not have the body of Narcissa Malfoy, but yet, I have never seen what the know-it-all looks like without… Okay, Severus, stop thinking like a perverted old man.

Try and think of getting even with Potter. No, wait, he is Miss Granger's best friend. Maybe speak with Minerva about the N.E.W.T.s. I take that back; _she_ will be taking them in the spring.

Severus continued to think of anything that was not related or linked to Hermione Granger, but no matter how hard he tried he still had no luck. He sighed and shook his head reluctantly. How he hated this wretched and tormenting feeling! Admit it, Severus, he thought.

You are in love with her. And you have never known love in your entire life, aside from that interest in Lily Evans.

_You always were the one to show me how_

_Back then I couldn't do the things that I can do now_

Yes, he had never experienced what love was all about. For the most part, he had found it to be disgusting, repulsive, and something that did not describe the man he was. No, he had never felt such thing until he had met Lily. But everything fell apart after that – her marriage to James Potter, the birth of her son Harry, and then her ultimate death in the hands of his master Lord Voldemort. For over eleven years, his wonderful feelings were sealed away, never to come back.

But they did, surely yet slowly, on the first day of Potions that one fateful day when Hermione Jane Granger arrived at Hogwarts. It was not until the previous night when it hit him like a golf club in the head. And now he could only see the beautiful Gryffindor witch he once knew in the eyes of the insufferable know-it-all student.

She will never love you, Severus, he thought before he finally drifted to sleep. You have no heart. You are a monster, a cold-hearted bastard, and a git.

_This is slowly taking me apart_

_Grey would be the color if I had a heart_

Breakfast was still the same but instead of biscuits and gravy, Minerva had the house elves cook some scrambled eggs and bacon. Yet, Severus had his "usual," and, luckily, no one else – with the exception of the headmistress – knew about it.

And again, he caught himself scanning over the Gryffindor table, primarily where Hermione was sitting. To him, at the present moment, she appeared to be the same girl he had known for a long time. He overheard her conversation with Harry and Ron, taking note that she was going to the library as soon as she was finished with her breakfast, and knew that it was no surprise she would be somewhere studying before her first class.

But after what happened in detention, she appeared to be a different person in his eyes, much like the woman haunting his life. Yet, he was also seeing her as another person – another person he remembered quite well.

In her brown eyes, he was seeing himself as a young wizard in his seventh year – a brilliant, young lad who would later come back to Hogwarts as the most dreaded Potions professor in the wizarding school. He had been an intelligent student, no doubt about it, but he had been led astray because of his trust in his "friends," primarily Lucius Malfoy.

He watched her leave her companions and walk out of the Great Hall. At that moment, he had thought of something that he had never thought before – if I hadn't join the Death Eaters, would I still be the person I could be today? A person with a great future ahead of them… Like Miss Granger?

_In this place, it seems like such a shame_

_Though it all looks different now, I know it's still the same_

_Everywhere I look, you're all I see_

_Just a fading fucking reminder of who I used to be_

No, Severus thought with a frown, I don't deserve to be someone like Miss Granger, Death Eater or not. I have made too many mistakes in the past to achieve that dream.

He pushed his plate to the side and stood up, fixing his frock coat before leave the staff table. Minerva looked at Severus and asked, "Done already?"

"Yes," replied the Potions Master. "I need to look over my lesson plan for the day. I think I somehow screwed it up when I was writing it out last night." Before the Headmistress could reply, Severus was already strolling down the main aisle, his black robes billowing like black clouds behind him.

Minerva shook her head as Severus slammed the doors behind him. "What has that boy gotten himself into?" she muttered.

That's a wrap! Please review this chapter!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	5. Ch 5: Every Day Is Exactly the Same, 2

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too. I do apologize for my delay. I have to admit I had a huge case of writer's block this past summer (as some of you could tell because of some new fan fics), but after listening to a lot of NIN during the last few weeks, I was able to continue on with this story. I read some spoilers for Book 7… Not pleased with what I saw, especially since I am a huge SS/HG shipper. But just to go along with the whole transition, I am practically writing this fic as an epic too. Eventually, I'll put everything together, but you'll just have to see the bits and pieces of what is what I would like to see as Book 7. Very doubtful it'll happen.

And during this past weekend, I was able to watch a few Harry Potter movies for the first time. Thanks to Miss Watson and Mr. Rickman, I now have a better understanding of their characters.

Side note – I was able to pull off my sexy Hermione Granger costume for Halloween this year (I have the bushy hair and I tend to be an intellectual in class), but alas… If my fiancé was any character from HP, I have to say he'd be another Krum, although he does have an abnormally large nose (yet not hooked).

In this chapter, we're going back to the song "Every Day Is Exactly the Same" (I warned you that I'll be jumping around), and there is a twist, but it's not what you think. And another thing – there will also be a character death toward the end, but who will it be? Read on and don't forget to review this chapter, please!

Chapter Five: Every Day Is Exactly the Same, pt. 2

Severus walked into the library to find Hermione studying at a table near the corner of the room. He smirked as he read the title of the textbook.

_Advanced Potions, Fifth Edition_

_S. Snape_

She never ceased to amaze him indeed. He looked at her closely, noting that she was oblivious of his existence. She is always in too deep with her studies, he thought. She always comes in the library and does her work. What does she do outside of class and the adventures of the Golden Trio?

"Professor?" The sound of her voice brought him back to reality. He looked down at the table and saw a rather confused Hermione Granger looking up at him in return. "What are you doing here?"

Now, Severus was not called a Slytherin for nothing. He was, after all, sneaky and sly just like Salazar Slytherin himself. A small smile crept onto his face and he asked, "Miss Granger, why do you always come to the library every day?"

"I like to study new things, sir," she replied. "I live to learn. The more knowledge a person has – Muggle-born, half-blood or pureblood – I believe he or she will succeed in the future. Knowledge is my passion."

"Do you not bother to partake in activities here at Hogwarts?"

"Besides Quidditch, which I am not truly fond of, what else can a witch like me do?"

Severus frowned for he could not think of an answer to her question. "You are indeed right, Miss Granger. You are your own person." He began to walk away, but then he turned around and asked, "One more thing – what do you get out of studying? Besides knowledge, that is."

Hermione stared at Severus for a moment. She could not think of a good answer for such an interesting question. Why _was_ studying a passion of hers? What made it so interesting? Her eyes bore into his and she finally replied, "I find peace in it, sir. It gives me hope for a bright future, and it is truly my sanctuary whenever I come across some conflict. It takes me away from reality for a while. I leave behind all of my problems because I want to strive for something better, and what's better than to prepare yourself for the person you want to be in, let's say, five years?"

Severus nodded his head in agreement. "Touché, Miss Granger. Five points to Gryffindor for the correct answer. That was exactly what I was hoping to hear."

"Why is that, sir?"

He bit his lip as he stared into her eyes of confusion. "The truth is I felt the same when I was a student like you. I wanted to learn, and I would stay in the library on a Saturday night rather than going with my _friends_ to a bar. Now I must be going for I have some seventh-year dunderheads to take care of, let alone a potions classroom to monitor in case of a 'freak accident.' I wish you a good day, Miss Granger."

He said nothing else as he turned to the exit and walked out of the library, leaving Hermione alone and asking herself, "Why did he come in here anyway? He didn't even bother to speak to me about last night! I'm still surprised there has not been any gossip lately.

"And why is he being nice to me?"

_Every day is exactly the same_

_Every day is exactly the same_

_There is no love here_

_And there is no pain_

_Every day is exactly the same_

He saw her again less than an hour later for Potions. He noticed as he entered the classroom that Hermione was not sitting by the Longbottom dunderhead. Instead, she had to sit next to him – Harry Potter. His dark eyes met hers with a hint of curiosity, as if he was asking if the previous day was the reason of her new seat. She gulped and smiled sheepishly.

Harry noticed his friend was acting rather strange at that moment. He leaned over and whispered, "What's going on, 'Mione?"

"I don't want to get another detention tonight," she answered. "That is why I am sitting next to you. Neville will be asking for help again."

"Am I allowed to start my lesson now, Miss Granger?" asked Severus. "I am already a few seconds late."

Hermione blushed a deep hue of red. She quickly straightened herself up and nodded her head. "Yes, sir."

"Very well, then. I should take away points from Gryffindor," he said, noting the smirk on Draco's face from the corner of his left eye. "But since I am in a decent mood, I'll let it slide… for now." He then watched his star pupil's smile slide down to a pout.

"Today," Severus began, "we will do the exact potion we did yesterday but without instructions or ingredients written on the board. I certainly hope you dunderheads took some notes before and during your time behind your cauldrons. I might be considerate enough to allow you to use them for the test next week. You may use your notes for today, and for tomorrow, you better have memorized everything by the time you get into your seats because there will be a quiz first thing." He sneered at the class and then barked, "Well, what are you waiting for? Get to work!"

The students jumped out of their seats and pulled out their cauldrons. Half of the class went to the storeroom for ingredients and the other half prepared their workstation. Then, both groups switched off so by the time everything was ready to go, the students were working at the same pace – not one of was far ahead or far behind.

Severus roamed around the room and watched his students do their best to get an "O" (for "Outstanding," of course) out of him. But that was never the case. His first stop was Harry's workstation. He leaned over the boy's shoulder and frowned. "Mr. Potter, the liquid should have been green by now! How long have you been stirring?"

"For about five minutes, sir," answered The-Boy-Who-Lived.

"Five minutes, eh? Well, it should have gone from yellow to green two minutes ago!" He snatched Harry's notes and quickly scanned over the ingredients. "I knew something was wrong, Potter," he sneered. "You are doing the wrong potion! You are reading off of your Relief Potion notes! How can you cure someone who is dying in a battle when you are making a potion for relieving strained muscles? That is an automatic zero, Mr. Potter!"

Harry sighed in defeat and sat down on his stool with his hands in his hair. "I'll never get through this class with Snape as my teacher. He was just as bad in my Defense Against the Dark Arts class last year."

Ron's potion caused an explosion at his table while Neville, as always, screwed his potion badly. When he finished, Severus had the poor boy drink it to see if it was a success. Like he had assumed, it was a failure. Neville had transformed himself into a toad, much like his own toad Trevor.

Hermione, however, had just finished her potion when Severus made his way to her station. He had her pour a sample into a small vial, and he observed her hard work. "Well done, Miss Granger," he said. "It seems like you have followed your instructions carefully, and we shall try it on this mouse." He pulled out a laboratory rodent from a cage that was already in a bad condition. He tilted the vial over the small mouth and poured a drop into it. Within seconds, the mouse was moving freely as if nothing had happened.

Severus glanced at the know-it-all and said with a sneer, "I suppose you will want your 'O' now, Miss Granger."

Before he was able to walk to his desk, the entire classroom heard a loud explosion from Draco's workstation. The blonde Slytherin growled in frustration and turned toward Hermione. "Thanks a lot, Mudblood! You just had to hex my potion, didn't you?"

"Is that true, Miss Granger?" asked Severus.

Hermione shook her head. "No, Professor! I would never –"

"Silence, silly girl!" He walked over to his desk and pulled out his book of the class's grades. He wrote a zero in the row with Hermione's name under the potion she had worked on since the beginning of class.

"But Professor – "

"Don't 'But Professor' me, Miss Granger!" snapped Severus. "I am not in the mood to hear your excuses! You will come to my office tonight at eight o'clock sharp! If you're even one second late, I will do more than just take away house points!"

The girl nodded her head and cleaned up her station in silence. She cast a glare at Draco, who was laughing under his breath, as she did her job. By the time she was finished, class was also finished for the day. She was the last person to leave the room, but Severus called for her as she reached the door. "And tonight, Miss Granger, wear something appropriate."

Her face grew red and she quickly walked away from the Greasy Git. She did not want to be reminded of the events that had happened the previous night. She made a mental note to herself – don't wear the thong.

But she stopped in her tracks to contemplate about the incident in the Potions classroom. He gave her detention for no reason at all! She did not hexed Draco's potion, and she swore that an honest, hardworking student like herself would do such a thing. But Professor Snape took his side, she thought, as always! I wish he would listen to me for once. She brushed a brown tendril aside and walked to her room for the day.

She did not catch him staring at her at dinner hours later. In fact, he was not even in the Great Hall for his evening meal. He was instead somewhere far darker than the nighttime sky over Hogwarts.

Somewhere in the depths of the Forbidden Forest in a cave no one knew, there was a gathering much like the calling of the Devil. In the middle, a small ring of fire burned bright and steady beneath a black cauldron. Hooded figures surrounded it, but one stepped out, pulled out a hand of a dead Death Eater and a vial of a wizard's blood, and poured it into the cauldron until the glass was empty.

Severus watched the hooded figure from a distance. He was standing next to Narcissa Malfoy and her sister Bellatrix Lestrange. He felt their eyes watching him with suspicion. They had heard about Minerva becoming the new Headmistress, which meant that Hogwarts was still open and The-Boy-Who-Lived, who supposedly defeated Lord Voldemort, was still there. Yes, that boy that should have died many times, but the Potions Master always protected him for some reason. He would not have done such a thing if he was a true Death Eater. He even allowed Harry Potter to defeat Voldemort on the night of his "betrayal." Had Severus not been committed to the Unbreakable Vow with Narcissa, this particular event would have not taken place.

And Dumbledore would still be alive, he thought, or perhaps killed by another Death Eater's hands, not mine.

_I can feel their eyes are watching_

_In case I lose myself again_

The hooded figure took the empty vial and smashed it against the cauldron, sending the fiery and orange images high into the air. Once they had finally died down, the figure pulled back his hood and revealed himself as Lucius Malfoy, Narcissa's husband and Draco's father. "We, your loyal servants, have been waiting for your return, Master," he said as he bowed on one knee and signaled the others to do the same.

A shadow emerged from the liquid and took the form of the dreaded Lord Voldemort. This time, he was sicklier than ever before. In truth, he could have been mistaken for the Grim Reaper. His flesh had deteriorated, and if one noticed his hand before, he would have been disgusted at that moment for his fingers, once covered by a thin layer of skin, were like skeleton bones.

"Thank you, Lucius," hissed the monster. "You will have your reward soon." He stepped out of the cauldron, looking at all of his followers carefully. The moment he saw Severus, his red eyes glowed brightly. "I am very surprised you showed up, Severus Snape. I figured you would have been in Azkaban for the death of that stupid wizard Dumbledore."

Severus gulped at the thought of going to the prison for what he had done. He was very lucky Minerva did some investigation before she had made her decision. She found out, thanks to a portrait in Albus' office that had the Pensive for the late wizard, that during Harry's fight at the Ministry for Magic, Albus had suffered a side effect of Voldemort's magic and was too old to fight it off. Consequently, Severus informed the headmaster immediately about the Unbreakable Vow he made to Narcissa and the plan to raid Hogwarts. Draco was appointed to do kill the old wizard, but when he could not, Severus – as part of the Unbreakable Vow – stepped in and finished the job.

Even to this night, his mentor's last words in that dreadful memory still haunted him…

_Severus, please…_

_AVADA KEDAVRA!_

The Potions Master realized that his "master" was still waiting for an answer. He took a deep breath and replied, "They realized that it had to be done, my lord. Dumbledore was ready to give his life up in order for the children to be safe."

"And are they safe?"

"They were, but now that you have returned, my lord, we can easily take over the school and get rid of that bloody Golden Trio of Dumbledore's," answered Lucius with an evil smile on his face.

"And with Harry Potter gone, we can purify the wizarding world with the power of the purebloods and end the revolution of the Mudbloods," hissed Voldemort. He turned to Severus and said, "Give my regrets to the new headmaster of Hogwarts for me, Severus. I am afraid your school will be losing a great number of children once I am through with them.

"As for the Granger girl who is at Potter's side, she will be the first one to go. She is a disease to our world. And with her out of the picture, that stupid boy will be no match for me."

"My lord," interrupted Lucius, "the girl more than just a mere Mudblood. She has been known as the brightest witch of her age. Perhaps her intelligence would be useful to us."

The Dark Lord pondered a moment, thinking about the possibility of Hermione Granger working for him. "But she is a Mudblood," he countered. "That would defeat the foundation of our belief and mission, Lucius."

"But that alone is just one Mudblood, master. One _intelligent_ Mudblood."

"Very true. If you are so keen on bringing over the Granger girl to this side of the picket fence, so be it. But your plan must be foolproof because she is capable of seeing any loopholes one would not find."

"Yes, my lord," said Lucius.

Severus, on the other hand, felt his stomach lurched at the thought of one of his best students under the control of the blonde wizard. He swore to himself that he had to do something from stopping Lucius, but exactly did his old friend have in mind to start with?

"As for the rest of you," continued Voldemort, "go home in peace and know that we will rise and end this growing filthy population in due time. Lucius! Narcissa! Stay here." With a wave of his hand, he dismissed the meeting, but when the two Malfoys were left standing alone, he called for Lucius. "Come, Lucius. It is time for your reward."

Lucius left his wife's side and knelt before Voldemort. "Thank you, my lord."

"No, thank you." He summoned his wand and bellowed, "Crucio!" The next thing blonde man knew, he fell onto the ground paralyzed and unconscious. Then, Voldemort took the shape of a ghostly spirit and entered into Lucius' body. When his spirit was finally settled in the man's blood, Lucius woke up with a start and stared at Narcissa.

Narcissa gasped in fear as her husband, or what she thought was her husband, slithered toward her like a snake. A hand suddenly grabbed her right foot and pulled her down. She screamed as Lucius – no, Voldemort as Lucius – crushed her with his body. "And now it's time for your reward too, you pureblood wench," he hissed before opening his mouth wide for his dinner.

Severus was walking back to Hogwarts when he heard the last bloody scream of Narcissa Malfoy miles away. He turned around and saw the sky turn crimson red. It then faded back to black moments later. In his heart, he knew Draco had just lost his mother. But what about Lucius? Whatever happened to him?

Just when he thought that perhaps a little bit of his life was getting better, he had now realized it had gone back the way it used to be – a double-agent for two opposite sides. Damn you, Lucius, for bringing _him_ back, he thought.

_Sometimes I think I'm happy here_

_Sometimes, yet I still pretend_

It was about 7:30 when he finally entered Hogwarts, and he had thirty minutes before he had to go to detention to monitor Hermione. Just when he thought everything was safe, the voice of his new boss halted him. "Where do you think you are going, Severus Snape?"

He turned around to find Minerva walking toward him. "We missed you at dinner," she continued. "You better have a good excuse for your absence."

"I do," he said. "I was called to a Death Eater meeting."

"But there hasn't been one for months! Who called it?"

"Lucius Malfoy. It only gets worse – he revived… He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named."

The color from Minerva's face vanished as she gasped and started to panic. "But Harry killed him!"

"Yes, he did and perhaps he can again. When we saw him tonight, _he_ was in a far worse condition than when he came back before his failed attempt to get the Sorcerer's Stone. He is nearly on the brink of death, and I think one more trick up the boy's sleeve will destroy him for good.

"But since I do not have time, can you do me a favor, Minerva?" The witch nodded, and he continued, "Tell Draco not to go home any time soon. I am afraid Narcissa was killed by _him_. I do not know whatever became of Lucius."

The older witch solemnly nodded her head. "I am truly sorry to hear about Mrs. Malfoy's death. I will tell him, Severus, but now I think you have a detention to go to. From what I have been told, it is with Miss Granger, right?"

"Yes."

"Then, don't let me stop you. Thank you, Severus, for the news, and the Slytherins have my condolences. Until then, goodnight, Professor." Minerva walked past him and head down the corridor toward the dormitories.

Severus sighed. How did he end up in this mess? Even after all those years of being a Death Eater, he truly did not know how the Dark Lord came to be. Voldemort was nothing more than the evil counterpart of a good wizard. But why did the talented Tom Marvolo Riddle have to be evil?

He did know one thing for certain, though. The monster known as Voldemort was going to be destroyed whether it would be in the hands of Harry Potter or his friends. Or even, perhaps for the first time, in his.

But he had other plans for the night, and he prayed that they did not involve a white thong under Hermione's skirt.

_I can't remember how this got started_

_But I can tell you exactly how it will end_

Yeah, I know it was a long chapter, and Voldy is back. And forgive me all you Narcissa Malfoy lovers out there. However, you will see why Voldemort (or a possessed Lucius) killed her in later chapters. But chapter 6 – aka another detention with Miss Granger – is in the works!

Don't forget to review, please!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	6. Ch 6: Somewhat Damaged

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too! I have decided to do "Somewhat Damaged" for this entire chapter due to the suicide attempt toward the end. It is not as graphic as the first chapter, but it is rather graphic enough if you read between the lines. I promise I will get back to the other songs as soon as possible!

Chapter Six: Somewhat Damaged

Severus sat his desk patiently as he graded the last of the first-year Ravenclaws' essays. He looked up at his clock and noted the time. 7:59. One more minute before Miss Granger joins me for her detention, he thought bitterly as he pushed mentally aside the events that occurred not too ago in the Forbidden Forest. I hope she found something decent to wear this time. He finished his work, put his quill away in its ink jar, and relaxed in his chair. Any minute now, the bells will toll eight times, and she better be right outside the door waiting for the first golden tone.

Not a second too soon did the clock strike eight o'clock, and not a second too soon did he hear a knock from the wooden barrier. "Enter!" he bellowed, straightening up from his comfortable position.

Sure enough, Hermione Granger came rushing into the room and quickly closed the door. "I'm here, Professor," she said.

"I can see that, Miss Granger," he replied as he stood up and approached the girl. His obsidian eyes ran down the length of Hermione's body. Instead of wearing her Hogwarts uniform and that horrible Gryffindor tie, she wore Muggle clothing – a nice white blouse, a pair of fashion jeans, and white shoes donning her small feet. At least she does not have a lot of skin to show off, he thought.

He motioned her to take a seat at the empty desk next to his. "Come now, Miss Granger. We might as well get this done and over with. We both know we do not want to be here."

"Yes, sir," said Hermione. She took a seat at the small desk and watched him place a few blank sheets of paper and a quill with ink in front of her. Their gazes met – his full of frustration and impatience; hers full of fear and defiance.

The room remained silent until Severus finally spoke up. "Tonight, I want you to write an essay about the potion we have been working on in class. I want you to write out each step with much detail as possible, at least two pages long and a minimum of 1,000 words. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Professor."

"Very well. You have two hours to complete your essay. You may begin now."

Hermione nodded her head and took the quill into her hand. Severus, however, turned his back on the girl and strolled over to his desk where he began to read a book about Muggle-born wizards and witches like Hermione. He was already well into the book – Chapter 4, page 54 – and he was fascinated with the subject, not just because of Hermione but because of another bright Gryffindor girl from his past.

Yes, Lily was a "Mudblood" too, and Severus referred to her as that derogative label once in which it cost him his friendship with her. He had stop using that slang word in later years, especially when Hogwarts hired him, but the past always had a way to repeat itself – his godson Draco Malfoy had been calling Hermione "Mudblood" since their first day of wizarding school. It was hard for Severus not to think of the redheaded Gryffindor of his memories, and yet he made no effort to stop Draco's taunting each time. It was not because he did not like it; it was because he did not want to take away points from his favorite house and, in addition, be at the mercy of Lucius.

His eyes scanned over the text as he wondered how it was possible for a girl like Hermione Granger, the daughter of two intelligent dentists in all of London, to be a witch. He did not need to look any farther for his answer. Below his hooked nose, he became surprised at the sentence before him:

_It is possible, however, that Muggle-born wizards and witches gained their powers through incarnation. That is, the spirit of a wizard or witch was placed inside the chosen Muggle child either before, during, or after birth at a young age._

Severus glanced over at Hermione who was finishing her third paragraph. Could it even be possible, he thought. He closed the book for a minute and meditated on the theory that ran through his mind. Both Lily and Hermione were of the Gryffindor house, both were friends of the Potter family (although Lily was married into it after graduation and Hermione had no interest in Harry as a boyfriend), both were very intelligent and complete insufferable know-it-alls in particular subjects, and both were… Mudbloods.

Just as he had come to a conclusion, he felt two sheets of paper sliding under his long fingers. He looked down to see Hermione's essay completed and perfect. He turned his attention to the young woman standing in front of him. "Done so soon, Miss Granger?" he asked, raising one eyebrow. "It is only 9:06."

"I am aware of that, sir," answered Hermione. "I have went through and double checked what you had wanted and proofread my work."

He set the essay aside and continued with their conversation. "Miss Granger, I have been reading a book about wizards and witches like yourself – those of Muggle-born magic. I had often wondered how Muggle-borns like yourself gain their powers, and I think I found my answer after reading a few pages tonight. However, Miss Granger, I would like to know one thing – when did you realize you were a witch?"

Hermione looked surprised after he addressed his question to her. She searched her mind for an answer or for a memory that led her family to believe that she was indeed a witch. "It's hard to explain, Professor," she replied. "Sometime before my first birthday, around the time of the death of Harry's parents, I received a strange feeling inside my body. It was light and warm. Not too long after that, my parents said that I began to develop quicker than most children, and I became intelligent for my age. I was maturing at a rapid pace, and I was only a child at the time.

"Then, when I was four years old, my mother had fallen ill from the epidemic that went around London that winter. She was so sick she was on the verge of death. When I had sworn she was breathing her last breath, the tears that fell from my eyes landed on her hand, and somehow there must have been some kind of magic in those tears because her health was improving at an abnormal speed. I had used magic to heal my mother. That probably had been my first spell. After that, my father had sent me to see some psychiatrists and doctors to see what was wrong with me. They could not explain it, but when I received my letter from Hogwarts, I came to realize that I had been a witch for all of my life since that time before my first birthday. And my parents were okay with that in the end."

Severus listened to her story carefully, and then began to explain his theory to the bright witch. "Miss Granger, it appears that you are the incarnation of a girl I once knew. It is rather absurd, you see, because she was also a Gryffindor when I was a student like you, very intelligent for her kind, and you were both Muggle-borns.

"The only reason why you most likely received these powers is because although it might have been part of her destiny, her death was very tragic and unexpected. In fact, her life was in the hands of He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. She died very young, and you mentioned the fact that your powers were given to you at the time of the death of the Potters. I would not be surprised if you are the incarnation of the girl I am thinking about. After all, you are good friends with one of her family members who survived – her only son that the Death Eaters could not kill."

Hermione took a step away from Severus and clutched her chest, her heart beating fast inside her body. "You mean to tell me that I received my powers from the ghost of Harry's mother after she was killed?" she asked.

"Was there any doubt? It does make sense, doesn't it, Miss Granger?"

The Gryffindor girl looked at her professor thoughfully but shook her head. "I don't believe you!" she spat. "It might have been a coincidence, but there is no way I got my powers from that woman! And meeting her son might have been a coincidence too! I have never known him in my entire life until we were riding that train to Hogwarts for the very first time!"

"Are you calling me a liar, you silly girl?" asked Severus.

"No. I just don't want to think about being Lily Evans as another person. She is dead. I am Hermione, Hermione Jane Granger of London, the brightest witch of Hogwarts and Head Girl of the Gryffindor House. I'm not Hermione, the incarnation of Lily Evans or Lily Potter, and I intend to keep it that way."

She began to walk out of the room, but she stopped a few inches away from the door. It was not because she did not receive Severus' permission to leave detention early, but it was something else that ran through her mind. She looked back and asked, "Is that why you kissed me last night? Is that why you thought I was Lily?"

Severus sighed and nodded his head. "My desires and emotions got the best of me. I can assure you, Miss Granger, it will never happen again." He looked at the clock, noting the time on its face. 9:09. "I will let you out fifty-one minutes early. I hope you will not receive detention with me from here on out."

"Yes, sir." She opened the door and quickly walked out of the room, afraid of what her professor would do once she had left. She ran through the halls to the Gryffindor wing and to her private chambers. She whispered her password and immediately slammed her door hard once she was inside. She flung herself onto her bed and cried into her pillow. "Why me?" she whimpered. "Why did he think that I was her? It can't be true! I'm not anywhere like Lily Potter! I'm me – Hermione Granger!"

Even though she was on the other side of the castle, Severus could hear her silent cries from his office. He ran his hands over his eyes and pondered what had happened moments ago. She didn't believe me, he thought. She did not believe one single word. Why? Why did it have to happen that way?

He looked at the book from the corner of his eye and sighed deeply. "You have caused me nothing but trouble tonight, you know that?" he asked, although he knew it could never speak back to him. With the book in his hands, Severus left his office and headed back to his chamber. But once he had locked the door, he threw the cursed book down the pitch-black hallway. "And don't you ever come back!" he shouted.

He walked up the stairs in the tower that led to his rooms. It was a long trek climbing the many flights of cold steps, but Severus could have cared less about the time. Once he had reached the floor of his private quarters, he stood outside his wooden door. Clearing his throat, he whispered under his breath, "Insufferable know-it-all," the password that had been created since his second-to-recent detention with Hermione, and the door was magically unlocked and opened. He quickly stepped inside and placed wards and silence charms on his door so no one would hear his screams that night. He snatched a shot glass and a new bottle of firewhiskey, and then he went directly to his bedroom, his haven of rest and relaxation.

He stripped out of his frock coat and the white shirt that laid underneath it. He stood by his window – shirtless and burning with rage – as he sipped on his drink and stared outside at the quiet scenery. He needed something that would get his mind off of the haunting redheaded Gryffindor that supposedly lived inside the know-it-all he slowly grew fond of.

Once the glass was empty, he drank another shot and another shot until the bottle was empty. He threw it aside and sat at the window ledge. He was still sober and not drunk enough to get the woman off his mind. He rested his head against the cool brick wall, closing his eyes for a moment. He needed to get away from the real world and get himself lost in his thoughts again…

_He was a seventh-year student and was sitting next to Lily Evans in the library as they worked on a final Potions project for Professor Slughorn. Severus, who was more handsome then than he was in the present and yet still snarky and greasy with that hooked nose, could not bear to look at his beautiful classmate without seeing that damn twinkle in her green eyes. Oh yes, she was very happy indeed, and it was not about their assignment._

_It was the ring that she wore on her left hand. It is an engagement ring, Severus noted. He had heard the rumors about who asked her hand in marriage, and, unfortunately, she would be wedded to James Potter right after graduation._

_Even after all those times you were nice to me and I was cruel in return, why did you have to pick Potter out of all people, his eyes asked once Lily made contact with him. She knew the black pits of his pupils were full of hurt and confusion. She leaned over and whispered, "I'm sorry, Severus, but it would never be acceptable if I chose you. You're a pureblood; I'm a Muggle-born."_

_As the Gryffindor turned her attention back to her assignment, Severus shook his head. No, he thought, in truth, I'm a half-blood – part-Mudblood, part-pureblood. I don't even deserve to be a Slytherin…_

Severus opened his eyes as the nightmare vanished. He buried his face into his hands and began to silently cry. He began to regret reading that bloody book after he found it in the library. And to top it off, Hermione refused to accept his possible theory of her magical background. He was getting nowhere in his search – to find the answer to all of his nightmares during the last seven years of his life, all centering around Lily Potter. Was she alive and born as another woman, or was it all just a stupid thought?

As soon as the tears began to dry on his face, he extended his right arm with his wand in his hand and whispered, "Accio knife."

The silver object flew out of the dresser drawer, flying right into his hand. He placed the blade against his skin and slowly drove it into his left arm, right above the Dark Mark.

He hissed at the pain, cursing at thoughts and horrible memories that ran through his mind. "Fuck you, Evans," he muttered as he slashed at himself once again.

And somewhere in the back of his head, he remembered a dark song he once heard in the Muggle world as more recollections of the haunting girl began to torment him…

_So impressed with all you do_

_Tried so hard to be like you_

_Flew too high and burnt the wing_

_Lost my faith in everything_

_Lick around divine debris_

_Taste the wealth of hate in me_

_Shedding skin, succumb defeat_

_This machine is obsolete_

_Made the choice to go away_

_Drink the fountain of decay_

_Tear a hole exquisite red_

_Fuck the rest and stab it dead_

_Broken, bruised_

_Forgotten, sore_

_Too fucked up_

_To care anymore_

_Poisoned_

_To my rotten core_

_Too fucked up_

_To care anymore_

_Broken, bruised_

_Forgotten, sore_

_Too fucked up_

_To care anymore_

_Poisoned_

_To my rotten core_

_Too fucked up_

_To care anymore_

_In the back, off the side_

_Far away is a place where I hide_

_Where I stay_

_Tried to say, tried to ask_

_I needed to_

_All alone, by myself_

_Where were you?_

_How could I ever think_

_It's funny how everything that swore_

_It wouldn't change_

_Is different now_

_Just like you would always say_

_We'll make it through_

_Then my head fell apart_

_And where were you_

_How could I ever think_

_It's funny how everything you swore_

_Would never change_

_Is different now_

_Like you said_

_You and me, make it through._

_Didn't quite, fell apart_

_Where the fuck were you_

Tiny trails of blood ran over the Dark Mark as Severus finally stopped the cutting. He tossed the knife aside and summoned a cloth to clean off the wet blood and to bandage his self-inflicted wounds. He looked outside the window before he had decided to retire for the night. He noticed the storm clouds rolling in from the west. Just perfect for my mood, he thought, his face showing no other motion but anger.

He glanced at the scenery one last time, and then whispered under his breath, "Where the fuck are you, Evans? Why must you be playing this bloody game with me?"

One way or another, he was going to solve the mystery known as Hermione Jane Granger before Voldemort began to form a plan for the young girl. But first, he told himself, the Slytherins will need him most of the day tomorrow morning.

After all, he had a blonde ferret for a godson to watch over after what happened earlier that tragic evening.

Six chapters down, and so many to go! Like always, please read and review!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	7. Ch 7: Every Day Is Exactly the Same, 3

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too! Thanks for all who reviewed Chapter Six. I just have to admit one thing though. I personally was not pleased with it. I made Severus act like he was totally emo, primarily because I was thinking, "I have to get another NIN song in here." Thus, the confusion in Chapter Six. So, if you thought I did a sloppy job, here is my chance to redeem myself. I tied it in with this chapter. Willy Wonka imitation I think you will like it.

To be honest, I'm still surprised I'm using NIN as a reference to Snape's mood and behavior. It makes me wonder what the last chapter will be like. I already have an idea, and I've decided to stick with it. Besides, there is no way you'll make me change my mind! I know for a fact, dear readers, you will love it.

Anyway, this chapter will conclude the song "Every Day Is Exactly the Same." I'm debating about the song for the next chapter. No, it won't be "Closer!" I'm going to save that one for the perfect lemon scene (you knew that already). "The Perfect Drug" is possible, but I really don't see that happening quite yet. "Head Like a Hole" will obviously involve Lucius Malfoy/Voldemort, and "The Hand That Feeds"… Well, we all know which scene to find that song.

Speaking of Malfoy, expect to see him again in Chapter Nine. That is one of the few crucial chapters of this story because it will explain why he killed Narcissa in Chapter Five.

So I'm down to "Only" and the remaining lyrics to "Something I Can Never Have." This one is going to be tough. Expect a while for another chapter!

Chapter Seven: Every Day Is Exactly the Same, pt. 3

Sunlight filled the Head Girl chambers the following morning, arousing the young Gryffindor woman from her sleep. Hermione languidly stretched her arms over her head and simply sat under her covers, recalling the strange dream she had the night before. It was a dream she once had as a little girl, but the dream was more vivid and more detailed…

_Barely over six months of age, Hermione sat in the corner of her London house curled up in a ball with her favorite stuffed lion in her arms. All around her were walls with skulls and serpents everywhere she looked. To her, the images appeared to scare her, but she did not know the reason why._

"_Mummy! Daddy!" she cried, but she was not able to hear the comforting voices of her parents. She called to them again, and once again, she heard no reply._

_The serpents slithered down the walls and crawled toward her, frightening the little Hermione. A serpent with big red eyes and slit pupils of black wrapped its body around her small left arm, and just when it opened its mouth to attack the girl, a burst of red and gold light filled the room._

_All of the serpents, including the one on little Hermione's arm, backed away from the figure that took its form in front of the toddler. Hermione's eyes grew wide as the figure became a beautiful woman dressed in a black robe with red and gold stripes on her scarf and trimmings. Her red hair was smooth and tame as it flowed behind her back, and her green eyes were filled with compassion and trust._

_She placed a finger on the little girl's forehead, and at that moment, Hermione felt something warm possessing her, something similar to her mother's hugs. Then, the strange woman began to chant a spell, a spell that would change Hermione's life forever. The girl could not understand what the woman was saying, but somehow she knew the spell was not dangerous._

_When the woman drew her finger back, she smiled and said in a soft voice, "You are the chosen one, Hermione Granger. By the name of Merlin, you will be blessed." And in a blink of the eye, she Disapparated from the room…_

The knocking on the door woke Hermione out of her thought, only to hear the voice of Ginny Weasley on the other side. ""Mione! You better be up and about! We need to go to breakfast! McGonagall said something about commiserating with the Slytherins!"

"What for?" asked Hermione, slipping on her school uniform at such a fast speed.

"It's about Malfoy. Something happened to his family. Hurry up! We're going to be late!"

"You do know I could care less about that git!"

With anger in her eyes, Ginny opened the door to find Hermione putting her hair into a loose ponytail and grabbing a brush with a handle of stainless steel. "Hermione Jane Granger, Draco Malfoy lost his mother last night and his father is missing in action! You could at least give him some sympathy."

Hermione stopped brushing the ends of her hair and placed the brush on the vanity. As much as she hated the blonde Slytherin, she knew he had been suffering since… Well, only Merlin knew when. Looking at her reflection, she saw Ginny standing behind her with her arms crossed over her chest. "You're right," she said with sigh.

The girls entered the Great Hall five minutes later and looked around the large room. There was a circle of students huddling around Draco as he wept for the loss of his mother. Minerva McGonagall and other staff members – with the exception of Severus Snape, of course – sat at the table and comforted him. To her surprise, Hermione found both Harry and Ron facing Draco on the other side, trying to console him to the best of their ability.

Hermione knew it was definitely no joke as she watched tears stream down the young man's face. His fists tightened and his jaw clenched. "Damn you, Voldemort," he hissed. He continued to weep into the headmistress' shoulder for a few minutes.

Minerva then looked at the students and said, "I am sure Mr. Malfoy will appreciate your concerns. Unless you would like to continue comforting him, you may now return to your proper tables."

Both students and staff made their way back to their spots for breakfast except for Hermione, Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Minerva. Draco looked at those who remained in their place and made a disgusted face. "Well, you heard what the lady said! Go! I don't need your sympathy, especially from Gryffindors and Mudbloods."

Before Minerva could reprimand him, Harry loomed over and said, "You know what, Malfoy? I know what it feels to lose someone you care about so much. It hurts. I mean why you don't stop and look around for one minute? Even though the four of us are not friends with you, you are our fellow classmate and we want to be here for you. What You-Know-Who did to your family was wrong and cruel. We just want to protect you if he is after you too."

"Harry here has a point, mate," said Ron. "And your father is gone too. You can't go back home. It's too dangerous for you."

"They are right," said Minerva. "You are better off staying here, like you were told to do so years ago. Had Harry not saved your life and Professor Snape's, you could have been dead and not been able to finish your last year."

Draco nodded as he recalled the dreaded memory of the Dark Lord's last encounter with The-Boy-Who-Lived. It had been Harry who chased after Voldemort, the Death Eaters, Professor Snape, and him because of the death of Albus Dumbledore. Many low-ranked Death Eaters were killed as well as a few high-ranked ones. Professor Snape did everything he could to protect the young Malfoy from getting into harm's way. But it was almost too late: both of his parents were stunned with the Crucio curse, and Professor Snape fought against Voldemort until he was nearly defeated. Had it not been Harry, both Draco and Snape would have been dead by the Avada Kedavra curse.

Reality slowly entered the blonde's mind as he wiped away the tears on his sleeve. "Yeah, I guess so," he said. He stood up and walked out of the Great Hall, not bothering to touch his breakfast. Harry was about to follow when he felt Minerva's hand on his shoulder. "Not now, my boy," she said. "He has a lot to think about. I think redemption is about to happen in his life." She turned around and walked over to the Head Table, waiting anxiously for the meal to begin.

The four Gryffindor students moved to their respectful places at the Gryffindor table with their food magically appearing on their plates. As usual, Ron stuffed his mouth with the best biscuits and gravy as Ginny and Harry talked about Qudditch and their weekend plans.

Hermione, however, studied for her Advanced Potions class while eating a warm biscuit. It was then she noticed something was wrong with her book. "This is unfair!" she interjected, putting a sudden halt in the middle of her friends' conversation.

"What is unfair, 'Mione?" asked Harry.

"Someone ripped a page out of my book!"

"Oh, come on, 'Mione!" groaned Ron. "It's just a book!"

"It's not just any book, Ronald. It's our Advanced Potions book! It's a book written by Professor Snape! And there is a missing page about the potion we're going to make today!"

Not too far away, she heard Neville drop his fork onto his place. "Potion making again?" he asked timidly.

Harry leaned over to Ron and whispered into his ear. "I think Neville is scared to step one foot into Snape's classroom."

"It's Professor Snape, Harry," reprimanded Hermione. "And if you will excuse me, I am going to find him right now!"

"Isn't he at the table?" asked Ron. He looked over his shoulder and saw Severus' seat rather empty for the first time. "Where did he go? I could have sworn I saw him unless that was my imagination!"

"That's what I'm going to find out," said Hermione. "I think he might be in his office." Pushing her brown hair over her shoulder, the witch walked out of the Great Hall and headed directly for the cold, wet dungeons of Hogwarts.

By the time she reached her destination, she only had thirty minutes left before her first class. She pounded on the wooden door rather loudly, thinking she could get Severus' attention, but to her surprise, no baritone bellow was made. She twisted the knob but there was a lock placed on the wooden barrier.

"Damn it!" she cursed. "I might as well not go to class. The worst thing he could do is to give me another detention because he won't believe a damn word I say!"

Huffing angrily, she turned on her heel and walked toward another exit out of the dungeons. Everything was going fine until she kicked something hard and sent it flying down the corridor. The object stopped sliding on the slick floor and revealed itself in the small beam of sunlight thanks to a tiny window toward the ceiling.

It was a book entitled _The History of the Wizarding World_. In fact, it was the same book Severus Snape read the night before during her detention. It was the same book that got them into an argument about her witch heritage.

"Merlin's beard!" gasped Hermione. She picked up the old book and flipped through the pages until a small parchment fell out from between the pages. She unfolded it and began to read the fine words written by the Potions Master of Hogwarts.

_I'm writing on a little piece of paper_

_I'm hoping someday you might find_

_Well, I'll hide it behind something_

_They won't look behind_

"Chapter Four, page 52," said Hermione as she read aloud. She flipped to the page where Severus began last night, but the book slipped out of her hands and landed on the cold floor with a loud thud. She stood there shocked and dumbfounded for she read the title of the chapter.

"Muggle-borns: The Bridge Between Two Worlds"

It was devoted for her. Well, not just her but also other Muggle-born wizards and witches. Why was her professor appeared so interest about this topic, especially during her detention? And why did he ask her questions about her past?

Hoping that the book had her answers, and not what Severus said the previous night, she grabbed it and ran out of the dungeons. "Fuck Potions today," she said. "I got a better assignment to do."

Little did she know, she was being spied by a pair of black orbs the entire time.

As Advanced Potions began that morning, the class was shocked that Hermione Granger, Head Girl and the insufferable know-it-all of Hogwarts, was absent. But that was not the only weird thing that was happening. Professor Snape seemed to be missing too.

Harry noticed the time on the old clock above Severus' desk. "It's 8:03 and both 'Mione and Snape are not here," he said to Ron.

"Well, maybe the bat got cold wings after hearing about the Malfoys," Ron replied with a chuckle. "You know he was a friend to that crazy family. Hell, mate, he might be with Draco for the day!"

"But 'Mione? What about her?"

Ron shrugged his shoulders. "She might be looking all over the school for that missing page. I don't get it. What's so important about Potions, especially if Snape is your professor?"

Before too long, the door opened but not loudly and not roughly. Instead of the overgrown bat of the dungeons, a tabby cat entered the room and jumped on the front desk, only to reveal itself as Minerva McGonagall. The Headmistress was worried and looked at her students with fear in her eyes. "I am afraid your professor is missing at this moment," she said. "I have no idea where he could be."

"Yes!" said Harry beneath his breath.

"The truth is, children, I am worried because last night, I was informed of Narcissa Malfoy's death and the disappearance of Lucius Malfoy. As most of you remembered this morning and perhaps last night, Mr. Draco Malfoy was grieving over his loss, but I failed to tell everybody the main reason why this happened.

"Apparently, Professor Snape, Potions Master of Hogwarts and our returning spy for the Order, was called to another Death Eater meeting, which resulted in the revival of… He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named."

Every student in the classroom gasped at the thought of Voldemort's return, but Minerva raised her hand to quiet down the commotion. "As seventh-year students, I expect you to listen wisely to what I have to say. He killed Narcissa, and Professor Snape and I fear that Lucius has been killed as well. I assure you that all students will be taught by the best professors we have here in Hogwarts and from other institutions. Many of you know how much of a threat the Dark Lord is. I fear that although he might appear to be weak because he is supposedly living in the body of one of his best men, he might also appear to be strong, perhaps stronger than before. And to all those whose families are of the Muggle world, I would like to speak to you privately for your own safety. Eventually, we will find another qualified teacher for the Defense Against Dark Arts classes in order for every student to learn should they be needed to fight during the war. The time of that war, however, is yet to be determined.

"But until then, I will cancel today's class due to Professor Snape's absence. And there will be no homework assigned for tomorrow."

Many of the students ran out of the classroom with excitement, despite of the news that had been given to them. Just as Harry and Ron were about to exit, Minerva called them to talk to her briefly. "It has also come to my attention that one of your classmates, an important one, nevertheless, was missing this morning. Have any of you seen Miss Granger? I thought she was at breakfast after visiting Mr. Malfoy."

"She was, Headmistress," replied Harry. "She left early because a page from her Potions textbook was missing, and she went to see if Sn – Professor Snape could do something about it."

"And he was not here either." She walked past the two boys and headed for the door. "Follow me, gentlemen. We are going to pay a visit to the dungeons."

"I can only hope she is down there and nowhere else with him," said Ron.

Meanwhile, Hermione sat in her bedroom re-reading the chapter about Muggle-borns for the third time. She began to feel frustrated because of the fact that Severus was right during detention! And how she hated it when he was right about her!

She threw the book at the end of the bed, and just like an immature child, she stretched her legs out, folded her arms against her chest, and pouted. "Just because he read this book and assumed it was right doesn't mean that his theory was right as well!"

"And why do think I am a liar, Miss Granger?"

Hermione shuddered at the silky voice that loomed in the air. There was no way he was in her private bedroom! She could have sworn she closed the door!

The flames in the fireplace turned green as Severus stepped out of the floo network, straightening his robes from quite a trip and placing a silencing spell and ward on her door. "Why do you accuse me of lying through my teeth?" he asked, taking one step at a time toward the young woman.

"Why won't you leave me alone?" she countered back. "Didn't I tell you that I am not the incarnate of Harry's mother?"

"You don't believe the book either, I suppose. But maybe there are other ways to prove that you are wrong." He stood so close his hooked nose was nearly touching hers. "And I am right," he added in a quiet yet serious tone of voice.

"I like to see you try."

"Don't test my patience, witch! I barely have enough with all the dunderheads in this building." He took a step back and pointed his wand at her forehead. "Legilimens!"

Down in the cold, dark dungeons, Minerva, Harry, and Ron walked briskly to the door of Professor Snape's office. The Headmistress and the Head of Gryffindor knocked on the wooden barrier three times, waiting for the sound of Severus' infamous tone of irritability as his way of granting permission to enter. But instead, she heard nothing, not even the sound of his quill. "How odd," she whispered.

"Well?" asked Harry.

"I am afraid he is not here, Mr. Potter."

"Which could mean anything, right?" asked Ron. "Do you think it would be wise if we checked Hermione's room?" He shuddered at the thought of his ex-girlfriend and the Bat of the Dungeons in the same room, in her room of all places!

"That is exactly the next place I had in mind, Mr. Weasley," replied Minerva. With her two students behind her, the witch made another long trek to the other side of the castle.

_I am still inside here_

_A little bit comes bleeding through_

He saw it all. He saw her dream, the dream that had haunted her the previous night. He made good mental notes of each detail from the skulls and serpents, including one serpent that could have been referred to as Voldemort, to the little stuffed lion in the young girl's arms. He also saw an image of his former love interest talking to little Hermione and giving her what could have been the last ounce of her amazing powers.

As soon as the dream-Lily vanished, Severus pulled his wand away from Hermione and watched the girl gasped for breath. She noticed the trademark smirk that made him the least favorite professor of Hogwarts. Not once did that smirk grow into a smile and not once did he laugh and point at her while saying she was the liar of the two know-it-alls.

Instead, he simply said, "Well, well. So it was predicted all along which house you would be sorted into once you enter the gates of Hogwarts. It was predicted that you would be facing the greatest of all evils." He leaned down to her left ear and hissed, "And it was predicted that my theory was right after all, Miss Granger."

Hermione's only reply was a gulp. Her brown eyes burned into the black obsidian orbs of the Potions Master. "How dare you use Legilimens on me!" she said.

Severus took an account of her temper flaring and her eyes filled with fire. "Typical Gryffindor tantrum," he said, crossing his arms against his chest. "I should take points away from your house for lying to a professor as well as a skilled wizard in Legilimency, but I refuse to do such thing to you."

With his thumb and forefinger, he lifted the Head Girl's chin to where both professor and student were making direct eye contact. "Instead, I want to make an appointment with you for tonight at eight o'clock in my office. This will not be detention but rather a discussion of your heritage, Miss Granger."

"And why is this important to you besides you going after the next Lily Evans-Potter?" hissed Hermione.

Severus leaned closer, his black eyes of emptiness burning into hers, "Because, Miss Granger, your life might be at stake again now that the Dark Lord has been awakened once more."

_I wish this could have been any other way_

_But I don't know, I don't know_

_What else I can do_

He let go of her chin and threw some floo powder into her fireplace. "Since I have a feeling my class is either being covered or is cancelled," he began, looking over his shoulder to see Hermione one last time and tossing the cursed book into her lap, "Professor Snape's office!"

Hermione sat on her bed, clutching the book tightly with a tear falling down from her left eye. She heard the sound of Harry knocking on her door and knew Severus' ward and silencing spells were lifted. She watched the door open slightly and her two friends sticking their heads inside the room.

In the end, she was reprimanded by Minerva for skipping an important class and was sent to the headmistress' office, but this was not for her stunt that morning. While she was being lectured, the headmistress saw the book the Head Girl was holding. "So this answers why Professor Snape has been after you," she said. She confiscated the book, telling the Hermione that it might prove it useful. "Do not worry, my dear. I will have Professor Snape come to my office as well. I believe there is something he wants to tell us."

Hermione could only nod her eyes and followed Minerva, leaving behind a confused Harry Potter and a flustered Ron Weasley. "Snape? What does he want from her?" muttered the young redhead.

"I don't know," answered The-Boy-Who-Lived. "But like Minerva said, that book might prove itself useful. Maybe there is something Hermione isn't telling us."

"Like what?"

"How she has the same – if not similar – traits of my mother. I was told Hermione is exactly like Mum, except for the hair and eyes, of course."

"Where did you hear that bloody rubbish?"

Harry shrugged his shoulders and replied, "From Draco and his father a long time ago. It does explain a lot about the disappearance of Snape and Hermione, doesn't it?"

In his office, a letter flew from the fireplace and right into Severus' hand. He looked at the seal, realizing it was from Minerva. "What does she want this time?" With an exasperating sigh, he lifted the seal and unfolded the letter. In Minerva's neat handwriting, the letter read,

_Dear Professor Snape – _

_I would like to see you in my office immediately. Miss Granger is here waiting for you as well. Do not attempt to ignore this order._

_Sincerely,_

_M. McGonagall_

_Headmistress of Hogwarts and Head of Gryffindor_

"Damn it!" he cursed as he balled up the parchment and threw it into nearest wastebasket. He grabbed a handful of floo powder from a vase on the mantle and tossed it into the fireplace. "Headmistress' office!" he bellowed.

_Every day is exactly the same_

_Every day is exactly the same_

_There is no love here_

_And there is no pain (Every day)_

_Every day is exactly the same (Every day)_

_Every day is exactly the same (Every day)_

_Every day is exactly the same (There is no pain)_

_There is no love here_

_And there is no pain (Every day)_

_Every day is exactly the same_

_(Every day is the same!)_

Attention, all you dunderheads! Read and review this chapter. Please.

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	8. Ch 8: Ruiner, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too! Well, I ended picking a different song to set the theme of Chapter Eight, which is okay to me. I was able to find some more NIN lyrics, so expect to see some of them in the future. I think "Happiness in Slavery" would make a good Severus/Death Eater song (although we know he is not really happy in that kind of slavery). I think my plot bunny is going a mile a minute!

Until then, enjoy this chapter! Don't forget to leave me some nice reviews!

Chapter Eight: Ruiner, pt. 1

In Minerva's office, the orange flames in her fireplace turned green as Severus stepped out the floo network. He promptly walked past Minerva and took a seat in the far corner of the room, crossing his arms across his chest and his legs. "I demand to know what is going on here, Minerva," he growled.

From the corner of his eyes, he saw Hermione sitting in the chair in front of the desk, cowering like a tiny mouse. Great, he thought, Minerva wasn't lying after all. She just has to be here.

Minerva walked over to Severus with his book in her left hand. "Professor, I believe you checked out this book from our library, am I right?"

"Yes," he replied.

"From what I have read so far, it is a book about Muggle-borns like Miss Granger and a few other students here in this school. Is that true?"

"Yes."

The old witch opened the book and flipped to the page where his parchment was used as a bookmark. She showed him the note and asked, "And this chapter explains about the origin of Muggle-borns?"

"Yes."

"Tell me, Severus," said Minerva, closing the book and placing it on her desk, "why this has anything to do with Miss Granger."

Severus looked at the girl coldly, who was becoming uncomfortable and feared of retching in the room with her Headmistress and her Potions professor, and replied, "I am doing an investigation right now about the girl's history. It seems that not only she is Potter's friend, she is also a powerful and intelligent Muggle-born witch who would be useful in the war against Voldemort." He quickly turned to the headmistress and asked, "Does she know about his return?"

"I told everyone while you were away this morning, Professor, and I have informed her just minutes ago before you decided to floo in," answered the headmistress rather coolly until her eyes bored into him, full of anger and a lack of forgiveness. "Speaking of which, you better have a good reason why you were absent from your first class after breakfast. Miss Granger has already given her side of the story. I think it is time for you to give yours before I terminate your position as the Potions professor like I terminated your Defense Against the Dark Arts position while you were in hiding after Albus' death."

Severus' right eye caught a glimpse of Hermione as a smirk crept on his face. "That book you questioned me about, Minerva, was picked up by Miss Granger after she went to my office, although I was not there. I watched her read it as she walked to her quarters, and I followed her there not because she had something of mine but because I wanted to see if I was right about how a little Muggle girl like her received incredible powers and a wonderful mind thirsting for knowledge."

"And were you right, Severus?"

"Yes. In fact, I was able to see the truth behind her lies."

"What truth was that?"

"The truth that Miss Hermione Jane Granger," began Severus as he stepped out of his seat and walked toward Hermione, kneeling next to her chair with a dangerous glint in his eyes, "received her powers from the ghost of Lily Evans-Potter, Mr. Potter's mother. I believe it was that very same night of her death when it happened."

Hermione bit back a cry of protest, but tears flowed down her cheeks and she shook her head in disagreement. "No! You're lying! It can't be true!"

"It is true, Miss Granger. Never underestimate the power and abilities of a skilled wizard like me. I can tell when you are hiding something, such as that fateful night in your childhood, or when you are lying through your teeth like now." He tiled her chin and forced her to look at him in the eye. "Go ahead, Miss Granger. Cry. Cry, kick, scream and tell me I'm a liar. You are the one who is lying."

Minerva's voice cut into the conversation for she was afraid what trick Severus had up his sleeve for the Head Girl. "That will be enough, Severus! The girl has been through a lot thanks to your exploitation. She does not need to hear more venom coming from your mouth."

Severus pulled his hand away and stood up. His eyes met Minerva's and he asked, "Do you believe me, Headmistress?"

"Yes, but that is still not a reason to ignore your seventh-year class this morning. I will let you go for now, Professor, but make sure this does not happen again."

The dark wizard nodded his head and walked to the fireplace at a brisk pace. As he was about to throw in some floo powder, he was stopped by Minerva once again. "And another thing, Professor. I demand that you stop with this investigation about Miss Granger unless she comes to you willingly for your help in her search of her past. It would seem to me that it has bothered her deeply."

Hermione heard a soft curse from the man before he replied, "Yes, Headmistress." She sighed in relief and prayed to the deities above that the Bat of the Dungeons would keep his word. But in her heart, she felt that he would ignore Minerva's order one way or another.

Severus tossed the powder onto the orange flames, turning them into a bright shade of forest green. "Potions Master's Office!" In an instant, he stepped into the floo network and disappeared within the fire.

Once the fire had resumed its color and its smoldering state, Hermione turned to the Head of Gryffindor House and asked, "May I be excused, Professor?"

Minerva nodded her head and replied, "Yes, you may go, Miss Granger. Should Professor Snape bother you with this particular topic again, please inform me. I know there is the possibility that Severus is right, but he should not make a career out of it. It might put the two of you into great danger with… _him_."

"Thank you." Hermione pushed in her chair and walked into the hallway where her friends waited for her. The moment she saw Harry, she walked into his open arms and sobbed against his shoulder. He let her cry for a while until she felt she was ready to speak again. "How long have you been out here?"

"Since McGonagall led you to her office," he replied with a goofy grin, hoping to cheer up his best friend.

"You're lucky that Snape did not catch you and Ron when he left."

"I take it he took the floo?"

"Yes." She sniffled for a moment and then asked her two companions, "Did you hear everything that went on in the office?"

Both Harry and Ron shook her their heads. "The headmistress had some tough wards and silencing spells on the door," replied Ron. "There was no way we could listen to the three of you."

"Good. Whatever was said in that room is going to stay in there. Got it?" Taking an account of her friends' nonverbal reply, she walked down the hallway to the Head Girl's room. The two boys followed her, but when they came face to face with the portrait on the door, the elegant fat woman said, "The Head Girl wishes to have no visitors at this moment."

"But she's our friend!" protested Harry.

"That may be so, Mr. Potter, but the young lady would like to have some peace and quiet at the moment. Now go! Shoo! Off with you two!"

Ron sighed and trailed behind Harry as they trudged to their quarters. "This is so unfair!" he whined. "We can't even know what was even said at that meeting! And what does Snape have to do with this?"

"You heard what 'Mione said," answered Harry, opening their door and collapsing on his bed. "I wouldn't push it if I were you."

"Harry, this is our best friend we're talking about. It was not a surprise to see her skip our class this morning while our professor was also gone!" The young Weasley boy ran his hand through his red hair and sat at the foot of his bed. "I solemnly swear Snape is up to no good. Maybe he is going to give her to Voldemort and the Death Eaters."

"He will not do such a thing!" hissed Harry. "As long as I am alive, I refuse to let that snake for a relative of Salazar Slytherin to touch our friend! Snape is back working for the Order as a spy, and if he has to take Hermione away, so be it. But if she is given to Voldemort for pleasure, I might not be as forgiving to the git as I was at his pre-trial."

A flash of lightning filled the sky as rain pattered against the window. Harry looked outside and groaned. "Why must it rain today?"

"Because the gods knew we were going to practice Quidditch?" asked Ron.

The-Boy-Who-Lived cracked a smile on his face and chuckled. "You and your Quidditch, Ron." His only response was a pillow being thrown right in his face by his roommate.

Down in the dungeons, Severus paced back and forth in his study thinking about how he was going to get even with Minerva for issuing that order. _I demand that you stop with this investigation about Miss Granger unless she comes to you willingly for your help in her search of her past_.

"Damn meddling fool," he hissed as he walked over to his open bottle of firewhiskey on the small table next to his favorite chair. He took another large swig and felt the alcohol burning his throat, running down to the insides of his body. He wanted to get drunk so he could stop thinking about Hermione and move on with his life. But no matter how hard he tried, he could not reach that drunken stupor.

Realizing his attempts were futile, he continued to pace in front of his fireplace once more. He cursed Minerva for sticking her nose into his business. At least she does not have that damned twinkle in her eye like Albus, Severus thought. He had to admit one thing, though. That was the only good thing about Albus' death – no more lemon drops, no more silly jokes and riddles, and no more bloody twinkles in the eye! Minerva had become a grandmother to him in some way or another, but she never lost her stern attitude and her sharp intellect.

And, yes, he even cursed the little Mudblood for ratting him out. He should have not left her there in her room alone. She gave Minerva the book and told everything that had happened. And he still got punished without anyone giving him the chance to explain his actions clearly! He knew she was lying and she was afraid, but did she lie out of fear that he had proven her wrong for the first time or out of fear that she might end up like the witch before her?

_You had all of them on your side, didn't you? _

_You believe in all your lies, didn't you? _

_The ruiner's got a lot to prove_

_He's got nothing to lose_

_And now he made you believe_

_The ruiner's your only friend _

_Well he's the living end_

_To the cattle he deceives_

After fuming about the situation, Severus sat in chair and stared at the flames in the hearth as he began to lose himself in his thoughts. He had to let the girl go; he had no other choice. It was the only way for him to get her off his mind.

And Lily too, his inner self chided. You have to let her go too. She was and still is the bane of your existence, especially since she can be seen in your eyes as another Gryffindor Mudblood.

_The raping of the innocent_

_You know the ruiner ruins everything he sees_

_Now the only pure thing left in my fucking world_

_Is wearing your disease_

He swore to himself not to engage a conversation with Hermione under any circumstances, not to call on the girl during class whether she wanted to talk out of turn or not, and not to give her any more detentions if she deserved them for helping out the Longbottom kid or being an insufferable know-it-all.

These terms would definitely make Minerva happy, he thought. But one question remained.

Would he be happy?

Probably not. He believed the gods had granted him a second chance to love since the day the Head Girl arrived to Hogwarts as a young bushy-haired ball of energy, raising her hand to his and other professors' every question. But since when did Severus Tobias Snape, the Greasy Git and the Bat of the Dungeons, learn how to love?

Before he lost the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with to the man he despised the most since his arrival to Hogwarts nearly two decades ago. That was the only time he learned how to love, but it slipped away through his fingers like sand.

Feeling a familiar sense of sadness creeping into his cold heart, the snarky Potions Master buried his sallow face into his hands and sobbed for a long time. Thank Merlin no one was around to see his rather sensitive side, and he indeed welcomed the solitude with open arms.

But no matter what, he thought as he wiped away his tears, I have to listen to Minerva and stay away from Miss Granger unless she needs my help. What a fool I am that I could love such an… interesting and intelligent creature.

After taking a hangover potion in case he was slightly drunk at the time of his self-commiseration, Severus fell asleep in his satin green sheets with dried tears from the corners of his eyes. Once again, it was going to be a long and restless night.

Whoo hoo! Another chapter finished! So, will Snapey-doodle leave Miss Granger alone or will curiosity kill the snake again? I'll let you decide on that.

Leave this chapter some love!

The GoodWitchoftheNorth


	9. Ch 9: Head Like a Hole, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too! This chapter goes out to all you Lucius Malfoy fans out there!

Chapter Nine: Head Like a Hole, pt. 1

Weeks passed since Minerva's unfair order had gone into effect for Severus. Not once did he take away house points from Gryffindor through Hermione and not once did he issue her a detention. He never gave her house points nor did he give her a compliment or praise for her intellect. No, he simply gave her a better treatment than the other students, besides his Slytherin pupils.

In return, Hermione never spoke a word to Severus outside of class. She felt that if she began a conversation with him, he might regress back to his "investigation" and bother her again. She knew she was treading on thin ice; her friends and housemates began to wonder about Severus' attitude and behavior toward the know-it-all.

Even the meals were hard to handle for her. She would feel his black eyes watching her as she ate at least once for every time she was in the Great Hall at her house table. She would return his gave with a look of fear and focus back to the food that was on her plate. It was a losing battle for her indeed, but she was already counting down until graduation day.

She simply wanted to get away from him, but for some reason, she knew it was almost impossible.

A few weeks before Christmas at the headquarters of the Ministry of Magic, a wealthy man with a snakehead cane walked into the building. He wore a wizards' fur coat made out of the hairy skin of a Hippogriff with a matching hat to go along with his attire. His long blonde hair was tied back into a neat queue.

No one in the building had to ask for his name. "Lucius Malfoy, is that you in the coat?" asked the current Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour. Mr. Scrimgeour was the replacement of former Minister for Magic Cornelius Fudge because of Fudge's refusal to acknowledge the return of Lord Voldemort the previous year.

The rich wizard smirked and took his fur hat off his head to reveal himself. "I cannot seem to fool you, Scrimgeour, can I?" he asked. Using his wandless magic skills, Lucius sent his hat and coat over to the hook tree to his left and took a seat in front of Rufus' desk.

"What brings you here, Lucius?" asked Rufus. "Many people presume that you are dead since the loss of Narcissa."

"To tell you the truth, Scrimgeour, I was sent into hiding after what You-Know-Who did you my wife," replied Lucius with a glint in his eye that meant he was lying, although Rufus was too oblivious to notice. "And since her death, I have been grieving deeply and I cannot stand to live alone anymore. After all, my son has not even spoken a single word to me.

"I wish to have a companion, Scrimgeour, but it is not easy for me to show my face in public without everyone asking me these incomprehensive questions about my survival."

"So what do you want me to do about it, Lucius?" Rufus pulled up his chair an inch closer to his client and said, "You know you could always go to a magical minister to arrange a marriage."

"Is that not the reason I came here in the first place?" Lucius pulled out a giant purse of coins worth of a high value. Leaning forward, he whispered, "I want you to make a marriage law for me."

_God money – I'll do anything for you_

_God money – just tell me what you want me to_

Rufus' eyes open wide and he began to splutter. "Surely, you must be crazy to ask for such thing! It could take weeks, months, or years to get this finalized!"

"I know you are exaggerating, Scrimgeour. A marriage law can be finalized within a day, and you bloody well know it!"

"Yes, you are true. What terms would you like to request for this… Marriage law?"

"A pureblood or half-blood wizard or witch must marry a Muggle-born within two weeks. This will be an arranged marriage, but Muggle-borns will have no rights to request who they wish to marry. They are, however, allowed to choose any suitor from the list of petitions who has requested him or her."

"Do you not think that is a little discriminating toward the Muggle-borns, Lucius?" asked Rufus.

"I think they are an embarrassment and a filthy race toward the wizarding world, but they are a higher class compared to Squibs."

"If I am right, there is a Muggle-born witch you wish to marry?"

Lucius' silvery glare bore into the eyes of the Minister for Magic as he answered, "Finish the proposition, Scrimgeour."

By the end of the afternoon, the Ministry of Magic held a brief meeting to discuss the terms of this proposed marriage law. Lucius, being a former representative on Hogwarts' Board of Governors, watched in amusement as Scrimgeour read the terms aloud.

"As of today, November 2, 1998 at 12:23 in the afternoon, I, Rufus Scrimgeour, the Minister for Magic of Great Britain, have issued a marriage law that is to go into effect immediately, in which wizards and witches of pureblood or half-blood descendent are to marry those of Muggle-born blood, and in which those with Muggle-born blood will have no rights to make a request for a possible magical spouse but will be allowed to choose from a list of suitors, and in which the proposed marriage law will affect those who are of age, boarding school student or adult, and petitions will be finalized within the next two weeks, and in which, a marriage must be consummated within a week after the petitions have been finalized, and in which a child must be conceived within a year, and in which those who do not obey the proposed marriage law will be in exile from the wizarding world."

Rufus took off his reading glasses and looked around the room at each board member for a brief moment. "Wizards and witches of the Ministry of Magic, do I have your approval for the proposed marriage law?"

A few protests filled the room, concerning about the education of the seventh-year and the older sixth-year students at Hogwarts who will be affected by the marriage law. But with a wave of his hand, Lucius dismissed those protests and took the floor in front of Rufus. "I believe a marriage law will be the best thing for these students, especially if they are marrying someone of their own graduating class. They are young and healthier compared to us older wizards and witches. Both genders should have been physically matured by now, and this will be the best thing for those who fear love will never come to them after leaving Hogwarts."

"Are you doing this, Mr. Malfoy, to get your son married?" asked a rather furious wizard to his right.

"Sir, I can honestly tell you this is not about my son nor is it about me," replied Lucius. "This is about the future of you and our children. Since the fall of the Evil One, we lost so many of our own kind. We need to bring some new blood into our world. Wizards and witches of the Ministry of Magic, will you give this law some consideration before you decide to approve it or veto it?"

The dark wizard walked out of the room and stood in the hallway, waiting for the meeting to finish. His silver eyes had a red glint as he overheard the Ministry talking about the marriage law. To his contentment, everything was falling into place.

Fifteen minutes later, Rufus walked out with a parchment in his hand and said, "The marriage law has been approved, Mr. Malfoy, and you will have your first choice of a Muggle-born witch. Is there one that you would like to petition for at this moment?"

_God money – nail me against the wall_

_God money – don't want everything he wants it all_

"Yes," answered Lucius and with a cruel, sly smirk on his face, he added, "yes, I do."

Later that night at Hogwarts, all the seventh-year and a few older sixth-year students filled the Great Hall to hear about the recent news from the Ministry of Magic. In addition, to the students, two professors – Severus Snape and Remus Lupin – took a seat behind Minerva as she began her speech.

"Before any of you begin to complain and threaten me with hexes, I will assure each and every one of you I had nothing to do with this," she said in a solemn yet pleading voice, which was something she rarely did. "This afternoon, the Ministry of Magic met with a few governors of the school. There was marriage law that been proposed, and it was indeed passed.

"This will affect all of you who are in this very room with me," she continued as she turned her head to see the two professors behind her and then faced the crowd of confused and frustrated students. "Purebloods and half-bloods have to marry a Muggle-born who is of age and can bear an offspring in hopes the child will not be a Squib."

_No, you can't take it_

_No, you can't take it_

_No, you can't take that away from me_

Protests and complains roared from the Slytherin table upon hearing the news for they did not want to marry such a dirty race. Gryffindor students were angry to hear they would most likely marry someone from Slytherin. Those from Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff were indifferent. But most of all, every student who was in a relationship at the time feared they could never be with their lover because of being in a race that was not of Muggle-born magic.

_No, you can't take it_

_No, you can't take it_

_No, you can't take that away from me_

But in the middle of the Gryffindor riot, Hermione wrapped her arms around her stomach, feeling that sensation of nausea flowing through her body. Her brown eyes found Severus' black orbs, and she glared at him for a long minute. It had to have been his doing, she thought. Severus could only frown and sympathized her for such bad luck, but he also sympathized for himself since the law also applied to him.

Minerva waved her hands to calm down the students and continued with her speech. "Quiet, everyone! There has only been one petition that has been made for one student, and I believe he was responsible for the proposition of this marriage law. I will speak to the aforementioned student in private tonight. The rest of you can go to your common room or your chambers. Until then, I wish each and every one of you the best of luck through this difficult time."

As the Headmistress stepped back from the podium, students raced to the door in anger. All except one, that is. Hermione walked at a slow down the aisle with the feeling of disappointment and anger in her veins. But before she reached the door, she heard Minerva call for her.

Oh no, she thought. I was that one student she mentioned.

In her office with Severus and Remus sitting not too far away from Hermione, Minerva handed the Head Girl the parchment she had received that night. Hermione did not have to ask what the paper was; she knew it had the name of the suitor she would most likely live with for the rest of her life. After all, no other boy – except for Draco Malfoy, of course, with the intention of being malicious toward her – had any interest in her. They found her to be rather boring when she was not fighting with Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

She lifted the top fold of the parchment and lowed the bottom fold. She could feel Severus' heart sinking into the pit of his stomach and the low gasp coming from Remus' lips as she read the name aloud with tears forming in her brown eyes.

"Lucius Malfoy."

I think this would be a great place for a cliffhanger, don't you agree? Now are you starting to see the reason behind Narcissa's death? Don't forget to read and review this chapter!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	10. Ch 10: Only, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: My disclaimer for Chapter One applies here too! Sorry for the delay. I've been suffering the symptoms and the aftermath of mono, which meant I had a horrible Christmas break. But I am pleased with this chapter, although I'm not too certain if I picked the right song. I need to listen to some more NIN soon.

Anyway, here's Chapter 10!

Chapter 10: Only, pt. 1

Hermione placed the parchment on her lap and began to cry silently. "Lucius Malfoy," she said quietly. "Why did he choose me?" Burying her face in her hands, her sobs became louder for she knew if no one petitioned for her, she would forever be the wife – no, more like the filthy married concubine – of a wealthy yet cruel wizard who was also the faithful servant of Voldemort.

Minerva rushed to the girl's side and held her in her arms, soothing her and telling her that it would be all right. "You have to remember, Miss Granger," she began in a wise grandmotherly voice, "that in this law, you have two weeks before you can choose which one of your suitors you desire to marry. I can only hope Lucius will not be the only suitor for you. It's okay, child. Go on and cry."

Remus stood in his spot with a frown on his face, knowing that all was lost for the poor girl at the moment. "I am sorry to hear this bad news, Hermione," he said in hopes to comfort her. But it was no use. He also was not too happy about the new marriage law. After months of being with Nymphadora Tonks, his relationship with her had come to an end that night. Now he had to find a Muggle-born witch to be his mate, but as an honorable werewolf and professor, he did not want to take in a student, which made his search even more difficult.

With a sigh of defeat, the former Gryffindor student walked out of the office, leaving Hermione, Minerva, and Severus alone in the room. The Potions Master remained silent for he was thinking about what motives his "old friend" had up his sleeve, especially now that the Dark Lord had been revived. It was without a doubt he had used money to convince Rufus Scrimgeour and the rest of the Ministry of Magic to propose the marriage law. But why? And why did he propose a marriage law that involves purebloods and half-bloods marrying Muggle-borns, he asked himself. He hates Muggle-borns because they're filthy!

"Oh no," he murmured as a thought stuck his mind. If Hermione Granger had to marry Lucius Malfoy, she would be tortured, raped, and given to the other male Death Eaters for a huge orgy. That was definitely something the Dark Lord would love to see, and if she was also given to the Death Eaters, Voldemort might have some fun with her as well.

Such lovely punishment for being a Mudblood and Potter's best friend, he thought. After he rationalized his conclusion, he requested for the girl to go to her Head Girl chambers for he needed to speak with the headmistress.

Minerva finally dismissed a tear-stained Hermione who was sniffling as she walked past Severus. She glared at him, thinking this was a trap and part of a Death Eater scheme. "I hope you and your friends are happy," she spat. Twisting the knob on the main door of the office, she stormed out of the room and slammed the wooden barrier behind her.

Severus sighed and took a seat in front of Minerva's desk. The headmistress knew her best employee and spy was distressed, and she cleared her throat to begin the conversation. "I know what you're thinking, Severus Snape," she said. "Since this is Lucius Malfoy we are dealing with, you believe this could be part of the new plan of the Death Eaters, am I right?"

The Potion Master nodded his head. "The one thing I am worried about is that Lucius was the one who brought He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named back to life. And he had been missing since the night of Narcissa's death. But now this happens, and I do not know what intentions he might have."

"I fear that you are scheming again, Severus."

"I am a Slytherin after all, Minerva," smirked Severus. "I have to scheme. And my scheming right now is for the best, though I must ask you a few things concerning about this new marriage law."

"Fine then. Ask away."

_I'm becoming less defined_

_As days go by_

_Fading away_

_Well, you might say_

_I'm losing focus_

_Kinda drifting into the abstract_

_In terms of how I see myself_

"First, what time do the petitions close?"

Minerva looked over the parchment twice and shrugged her shoulders. "I do not know. Scrimgeour failed to include the time, but I would imagine at five o'clock two weeks from today. I will check with him tomorrow."

"Fine. And my second question is does the rule of a forbidden relationship between student and teacher still apply to this marriage law?"

Minerva stared at him with large wide eyes and her mouth wide open as if she looked like one of the ugly carps in the lake. "Severus Snape, what in Merlin's beard are you thinking?"

"The life of Miss Granger!" he bellowed. "Lucius Malfoy is the right-hand man of _him_! If Miss Granger marries Malfoy because she has no other choice, she can be put through torture and other sickening things that the Death Eaters perform on Muggle-borns and Muggles too! I am certain that you do not want your all-Outstanding student and Head Girl to become a victim of gang rape!"

"And if you marry her, would that make any difference?"

"Yes!" answered Severus. "I do not abuse any witch – pureblood, half-blood or Muggle-born – who is in my private rooms with me. Then again, I have never had anyone of the fair gender spend a good part of my life with me as a professor, nor have I been with a witch even when I was a student here at Hogwarts. I can assure you that because of Miss Granger's unique heritage, you will find many marks and handprints on her body if she were to live with Lucius. With me, she would be safe unless _he_ requests her to come to a meeting."

Minerva relaxed in her chair and contemplated about the Potions Master's reasons. They were indeed valid and had quite a bit of truth in them. But putting his name on the list of suitors for Hermione could be risky. She noticed that Miss Granger was not too happy with him as she left the office a few minutes ago, as if he had done something to provoke her again. "Severus, is she still mad at you for doing a bit of research of her past?" she asked.

"So it would seem."

"Then until she calms down and the tension between the two of you is gone, I must ask you not to put your name on her list. I would rather have Mr. Weasley take her in than either one of the Malfoys and, yes, even you, Severus. He does seem to fancy her quite a bit, although they are no longer dating."

_Sometimes I think I can see right through myself_

_Sometimes I think I can see right through myself_

_Sometimes I can see right through myself_

Severus clenched his fists and stormed over to the Headmistress' desk in fury. "You just do not understand, Minerva!" he yelled, his face red with anger. "There is no other witch I want to tie myself to other than Miss Granger! She is perfect, intelligent and can hold interesting conversations over coffee without being so girly!"

"And she also reminds you of Lily Evans," added Minerva.

"She does not deserve some dunderhead like Weasley or Potter!"

"They are not dunderheads, Severus! They are… academically challenged!"

"All they talk about is Quidditch."

"And they – well, I should say Mr. Potter – are war heroes and saved Hogwarts many times in the past. They are far from dunderheads, Severus."

"Not in my book," muttered the Potions Master. "If she marries either one of them, she is putting herself into grave danger. She needs someone who is less likely acceptable and ideal to marry her. That someone should be me!"

_Less concerned about fitting into the world_

_Your world, that is_

'_Cause it doesn't really matter anymore_

_No, it doesn't really matter anymore_

_No, it doesn't really matter anymore_

_None of this really matters anymore_

The headmistress glared at him and stood up from her seat. "I do not want to hear any more lip from you tonight, Severus Snape! If you are so damn persistent on petitioning Miss Granger, so be it! I have had it with you! But if you dare to write your name on that line and she does not accept you, you know what the consequences are in this marriage law!"

"Minerva, I am certain that Miss Granger will pick me. Not too many wizards would want to spend the rest of their life with an insufferable know-it-all who does nothing but read and study." With a smirk on his snarky face, Severus turned on his heel and strolled to the door. Just when he turned the knob, he added with a chuckle, "Another point for the Head of Slytherin."

Minerva huffed in her chair. "Even being both the headmistress and Head of Gryffindor still means something to that boy in this contest."

Outside the office, Severus walked briskly down the hallway until he felt a wand at his throat. "What the hell going on?" he demanded.

Ron grabbed the Potions Master's side and tightened his grip. "What do you mean Hermione does not deserve to marry us? What do you want from her?"

Harry pulled off his Invisibility Cloak and pointed his wand at Severus, his green eyes burning with hatred. "Don't lie to us, Snape. We heard everything that went on in that room, and Hermione is our friend. What happens to her will affect us."

"And if you dare to force her into marriage, you will suffer more pain from the two of us than from an Unforgivable curse!" added Ron. "Hermione holds a special place in my heart and Harry's too, and if we want to marry her, we can!"

"Why? Is it because she is the only Mudblood you know or is it because she would be more than glad to do your homework and let you look off her answers on tests like mine?" taunted Severus.

"Shut up, Snape!" hissed Harry. "Even you show no respect to Hermione!"

"Oh, but I do show respect to Miss Granger."

"Liar! If you did, you wouldn't have given her all those detentions! What did you do to her during that time? Brainwash her with your dark magic?"

"Potter, you are getting on my last nerve," said Severus through gritted teeth. His black eyes lingered toward Ron's blue orbs as he added, "You too, Weasley."

"Good!" said Ron. He shoved the Potions Master aside and stood next to his best friend. "Now, if you don't mind, we are going to put our names on that list just to save Hermione from Lucius and you."

Severus straightened up his robes and looked at the boys with a sneer on his face. "I also plan to save Miss Granger, gentlemen. Think of all the consequences and risks she would have to bear if she picked either one of you. She could be in even more trouble because _he_ wants the three of you dead or alive. With Miss Granger at my side, she will be safe until further notice. Do I make myself clear?" He turned his back and then said, "And 500 points from Gryffindor for threatening a teacher and a detention with Filch tomorrow night at eight o' clock."

Harry and Ron watched the retreating figure disappear into the darkness and then made their way to the headmistress' office to activate their plan. Once they had reached the door, Harry knocked on it twice and received Minerva's approval to enter.

Meanwhile, Hermione sobbed into her pillow as she leaned against the headboard of her bed. The poor girl had a rough night since the announcement of the marriage law. She was the first girl petitioned, and nevertheless, she was petitioned by a powerful man she truly hated. I hope his ferret for a son does not go after me, she thought. I don't think I can stand living with any Malfoy.

She lifted her head as two parchments flew from her fireplace and onto her bed, landing side by side at her feet. She lifted the tabs and read the names of her next two suitors. She shook her head in denial, ripped them apart, and tossed the pieces into the fireplace. There was no way she would even dare marrying one of her two best friends. Sure, she loved them, but she loved them like a sister.

As for Professor Snape, she hoped to Merlin that he would not put his name on her list of suitors. The last thing she needed was to spend the rest of her life with a snarky bastard for a professor. It was not the fact that he did not like her; it was the fact that she was just like him, and he hated it. It was as if she was competing against his old scores in Hogwarts back in the day.

But as much as she wanted to deny it, there was something about that man indeed. He did some research about her past, and despise of her lies, she knew he was right. And she did pity him for what he had to do to Albus Dumbledore. She believed his side of the story when she witnessed his trial months ago. As a double-agent, he had to serve both parties and make sure both parties were satisfied. Even Dumbledore knew this and he was very aware of what the Potions Master had to do.

Somehow, she knew there was something hidden away in that dark heart of his, but what could it be? That, she decided, would be one thing she would find out should she end up with Professor Snape in this marriage law. Wait, she thought, what am I thinking? He's my professor and a spy! And he's the Greasy Git and Bat of the Dungeons! Why do I really want to be with him?

Hermione placed her pillow behind her head as she blew her candle out on her bedside table. She closed her eyes and prayed to the deities above that when she woke up the next morning, this would all go away.

Unfortunately, everything would still remain the same as the sun greeted the morning sky.

Okay, you know what to do. I know what I need to do. We should be even.

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	11. Ch 11: I Do Not Want This, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

Chapter 11: I Do Not Want This, pt. 1

The two-week period was coming to a close, as well as the first semester at Hogwarts. The Yule season was also around the corner, and everyone seemed a bit bittersweet about their Christmas plans. Many wizards and witches found a Muggle-born they have had their eye on for a while, but they would have to be officially married immediately before the new year – vows exchanged, marriages consummated… Everything!

Except for Hermione. Within four days, she had been petitioned by four wizards: Lucius Malfoy, Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and, thanks to her unlucky stars, Draco Malfoy. Neville Longbottom would have been a better choice, she thought bitterly, except he is too much of a cowardly lion to do so!

Unfortunately for Neville, he did not make a petition for a girl in Hogwarts. He was petitioned by a Muggle-born witch who was an apprentice for a Herbology professor at a private wizarding school in German. To be truthful, he was grateful to have this opportunity to actually date someone who shared his interests, but at the same time, he too had a thing for Hermione.

_I'm losing ground_

_You know how this world can beat you down_

_I'm made of clay_

_I fear I am the only one who thinks this way_

Hermione was not happy with her choices, but who else would have wanted her? Goyle? Crabbe? She shuddered at the thought about being married to a child of a Death Eater. "Disgusting," she muttered as continued to walk to her Double Potions class.

"Disgusting? In what way, Miss Granger?" said a silky baritone voice from behind. She jumped for a moment and quickly turned around to face her Potions Master who was sneering down at her over his hooked nose.

"Disgusting as in the thought about… Getting married, Professor," she said, blushing in embarrassment.

"Not pleased with what you have in terms of suitors?"

"No, sir. Not at all."

Severus took a step closer and looked down at the girl with a frown on his face. "Unfortunately, Miss Granger, we cannot always have what we want. I think you know what I mean by that, especially if your friend told you what happened to me a long time ago."

Hermione nodded her head as she recalled the memory of Harry rambling about how the Greasy Git had a crush on his mother during their days at Hogwarts. "I understand."

"Now get to the classroom before anyone starts talking about us, especially if your dear friends hear rumors about me being this close to you."

The young woman did not say a word and walked briskly to the dungeons just in time to take a seat and pull out her parchment and quill before she heard the door slam open. A black figure with billowing robes behind him marched quickly to the front of the classroom with his wand pointing at the chalkboard, magically writing the schedule for the week. Harry and Ron groaned at the agenda for that last day of class. "Semester final?" whined Ron.

"No complaining my classroom, Mr. Weasley. You should be prepared by now," said Severus in a stern voice. "Five points from Gryffindor." He began to walk left to right while keeping eye contact with his students as he started the lesson. "Can anybody tell me the correct order of making Polyjuice?"

Hermione raised hand, although she did it out of hesitation because of the pressure that was being placed on her, but no other soul dared to answer the question.

"Such a pity," sighed Severus. "For a bunch of seventh-year dunderheads, I expected everyone to know how to make Polyjuice. Apparently, your knowledge has been rusting all this time." His black eyes darted toward Harry, who was too busy doodling a silly image of the professor. With a snort, he quickly added, "That or you have not been paying attention during class!"

Ron elbowed Harry in the arm, and the Boy-Who-Lived quickly looked up to see the Potion Master standing before him, arms crossed and a sneer that could make a little boy cry. "Mr. Potter, the parchment, please," he growled as he extended out his right hand.

Harry folded the paper and gave it to Severus, who, in return, walked away and opened it up once he got to front of the class. His black eyes burned with anger, tossing the picture into the trashcan by his desk. "How childish of you to do such a thing, Mr. Potter!" he roared. "My business is none of your concern! Learn to keep your nose away from things where it should not be snooping! That is a large deduction of 100 points from Gryffindor and a detention tomorrow night with Filch!"

The Boy-Who-Lived did not say a word and simply sat back into his seat with a smirk on his face. At the age of seventeen, he could have cared less about losing house points from Severus and spending his nights in detention with Filch. He hated Severus for many reasons, one being the fact that he indirectly assisted in the death of his parents during the time he was a Death Eater and another for the death of Dumbledore where he acted as a spy for both parties and murdered the Headmaster in order to protect the ferret known as Draco Malfoy.

If anyone wanted to keep him alive, he thought, that person must be insane!

No one spoke about what caused Severus to snap at Harry among their peers, not even the Slytherins. The Potions Master cleared his throat and noticed that Hermione still had her hand up. "Why am I not surprised, Miss Granger, that you are awaiting for my acknowledgement for your… guess?"

"I do not have a guess, Professor," answered Hermione. "I have the answer."

"So it would seem. But I do not need to hear it, nor do I need to see it in writing at the moment. I suggest you tell your classmates that will be on the final exam next semester, if they wish to leave Hogwarts as a true wizard or witch."

Hermione lowered her hand onto her lap, her face falling into a look of defeat. She did not make a sound for the remainder of class, nor did her hand leave for its spot. She simply sat in silence and tried to listen to her professor's lecture. But no matter how hard she did try to pay attention, her thoughts began to bother her concentration.

After all, it was the day that would change her life forever.

When class was finally dismissed, she noticed that Severus was sitting at his desk scribbling down a message at a rather fast rate. He had a look on his face of concentration and frustration. Hermione knew that if she approached him, she would surely be hexed.

But she took a chance, grabbing her knapsack and telling Harry and Ron that she would see them later, and walked up to him. As she glanced into the small trashcan, she saw the ball of paper that was once Harry's doodle. Casting a quiet charm, she magically unrolled it, only to reveal a poorly drawn sketch of Severus courting her. How did he know what Professor Snape was up to, she thought.

She looked away from the paper, as if nothing had happened, and cleared her throat. "Professor?" she asked.

"I do not have time for your silly games, Miss Granger, nor do I have time of you snooping into other people's business," he said as he finished writing his letter. "Surely, Mr. Potter has given you a few tips." He called his for raven, affectionately named Poe in honor of a poet he loved while living in the Muggle world, and the bird flew into the classroom from the window and perched on the side of the desk.

"Poe, I want you to give this letter to Headmistress McGonagall. She is in her office and she has been waiting for my reply since breakfast today. Do not make her wait any longer. I will retrieve you in a few minutes."

The raven cawed in response as it took the letter into his beaky mouth and flew through the open window. Hermione watched the bird fly toward the direction of the Headmistress' office and asked her professor, "Do you like to read Poe's poems, sir?"

"I find such poetry to be a mere reflection of my life, Miss Granger," he replied. "I have been intrigued by Edgar Allen Poe's works since my childhood days along Spinner's End, and I still read my copy of all of his poems these days."

He stood up from his seat, brushing off his teaching robes, and faced the girl with an indescribable face. "Tell me, Miss Granger, why are you still here?"

"I just want to apologize, sir, for being an 'insufferable know-it-all' today," she replied.

"Are you talking about the time when you were the only student today who raised her hand because she had the answer, even though you knew that someone had to answer my question and no one else would?"

"Yes, sir."

"And you did not talk out of turn for once," Severus added. "Miss Granger, are you sure everything is fine?"

"What do you mean?"

"You appeared to be less than normal today. You looked like you were not interested in learning anything new."

Hermione gulped and answered, "Well, today is the day I have to pick my husband-to-be. I am scared, sir." She turned away from his gaze, mentally kicking herself for telling the most hated faculty member of the school her crisis.

Severus took a deep breath, knowing that she was not in the best situation at the moment for he knew who had petitioned her hand in marriage. "I understand where you are coming from. After all, this ridiculous marriage law affects me too."

"You do?"

The Potions Master nodded his head. "Yes, I do. You see, I am a half-blood wizard, a bastard for a bachelor to some people, and I have to marry a Muggle-born witch or else my role in the wizarding world will be terminated, which could cause a problem for the Order since I am their spy."

"And you are valuable to the Order, are you not?"

"Your intelligence never ceases to amaze me, Miss Granger," said Severus with a smirk. "Surprisingly, I am still their only right-hand man, regarding to the Dark Lord."

He walked past his desk and escorted Hermione out of the room, placing a ward and a spell to lock the classroom behind him. "I am sorry for sending you out of the room all of a sudden, Miss Granger," he apologized, "but I must go to the headmistress' office for a brief moment."

"I have to go by that direction as well," said Hermione. "My meeting with her about my future is at 5:00 this evening."

"I do wish you the best of luck."

The student and her professor remained silent as they walked through the castle until they came to an intersection, one leading to the hallway of Minerva's office and the other leading to the staircase going toward the Gryffindor common room. "This is where we must part for a while, Miss Granger," said Severus. "I trust that you can get to your chamber without a problem."

"I will fine, sir," assured the brown-haired girl. "Thank you, Professor. I will see you tonight at dinner."

"The same to you, Miss Granger. The same to you." He turned on his heel and walked briskly to his destination, leaving Hermione standing alone in wonder.

How on earth did we end up being civilized to each other, she thought.

Meanwhile, as the Potions Master walked through the empty hallway, he also began to ponder the same question. When was the last time he was nice to a Gryffindor at his own will?

Since you fell in love with Lily, you bastard, chided his inner voice. It was her kindness that brought him out of his shell for a while until she found herself in the arms of James Potter. Damn that man, he thought.

Of course, who could blame her? After all, it was he, Severus Snape, who called a rather derogatory name in the wizarding world.

Mudblood.

But Hermione? Why had he not called her that name? Why had he steered away from using that filthy word for the last seven years of teaching the girl? He insulted her on many occasions. First, he called her an insufferable know-it-all during her first year. Secondly, he found that her teeth problem in her fourth year was no different than how they appeared to him when he first saw her. Then again, it was Draco who accidentally hexed her, and he indirectly praised the student for such work.

But she got the teeth fixed and they look lovely, interrupted his inner voice once again. And she has calmed down greatly during class. Did you not listen to her apology for being an "insufferable know-it-all?"

Severus stopped for a brief moment and sighed. Why did he not call Hermione a Mudblood? It was not because she was his student and he was her professor.

No, there was something else. But he could not explain what it was.

"Damn you, Lily," he muttered under his breath.

At five o'clock, three students filed into Minerva's office – Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Draco Malfoy. They took their seats in front of the fireplace facing the desk of the Headmistress. Not a minute too soon did Hermione walked into the giant room and sat at the right side of the desk, facing the boys.

The girl took in a deep breath and prayed to the gods above that this arrangement was done and over with. Minerva, who stood to the left of Hermione, simply smiled and said, "I welcome you gentlemen tonight. As you know, this is an important decision Miss Granger has to make if you wish for her to continue living in the wizarding world. Therefore, I would like to start with the three of you first before we move onto her other two suitors."

Other two suitors, thought Hermione. There's Lucius, but who could be the second one? She looked around the room until reality slapped her in the face. In the corner of the office, with his arms crossed and a scowl on his face, Severus Snape was standing alone.

No, he can't be!

_I'm always falling down on the same hill_

_Bamboo puncturing this skin_

_And nothing comes bleeding out_

_Like a waterfall I am drowning in_

"Miss Granger, I want you to listen to their testimonies carefully and do not make a decision until you have heard all of them," instructed Minerva. "You may begin, Mr. Potter."

Harry cleared his throat and began his speech for his friend. "'Mione, I know our history together goes back a long way, from that day we met on the train and you were helping Neville find his toad. My first impression of you was not a friendly one. In fact, I thought you were snobby and, as Professor Snape has eloquently put it, an insufferable know-it-all."

One point to Gryffindor for stealing my line and using it on his own house, thought Severus with a small smirk on his face.

"But we fought alongside each other for years," continued Harry. "And you have become a very good friend of mine. And although I do not like certain people in this room, you have somewhat forgiven them. I respect you for that, and I want you to teach me how to be forgiving to them. Hermione, if you choose me, I promise I will make you happy and I will be a better friend thanks to you. And I promise to take my academics more seriously and talk less about Quidditch."

Hermione nodded her head, understanding the truth in her best friend's testimony. She turned to Ron, raising an eyebrow as a signal for him to begin.

"Well, 'Mione," he began, "my testimony is almost like Harry's, but there's more to it. I also want to give you the same promises: the promise of being forgiving, the promise of making you happy as my wife, the promise of being a better person, the promise of being more serious about school and the promise of not being so strung up on sports.

"But listen to me. Despite of our arguments and quarrels, especially when I thought Crookshanks ate my rat years ago, I thought you were a very beautiful witch. I probably came to that conclusion when I saw you at the Yule Ball with Viktor Krum. You looked wonderful that night, and I wish I had asked you out sooner. Now, you could have been even more beautiful if we had the Yule Ball this year, and I would have loved to escort you as well.

"I cannot see myself marrying any other Muggle-born witch but you. You would make a good wife and a good mother, and if you want, we could have a big family like mine. Hermione, if you choose me, you will be one lucky witch who will be proud of being a Weasley."

When Ron was finished, Draco began his testimony. "Look, Granger, I know I have not been real nice to you since the beginning, mainly because of your heritage. But after the last war with You-Know-Who, my feelings towards Mudbloods and Squibs have changed greatly. I admit I am still harsh to you and your friends, but that's just my Slytherin nature because you're a Gryffindor.

"But why this change, you ask. Maybe it's because now that I have no father present at home and no mother writing me letters, reminding me who I am. I do not want to be like my parents at all unlike before. I have seen what has happened to them, and I do not want to be a slave to _his_ system.

"I might have the looks and I might have the money, Granger, but I do not want to marry you so you can look good and please your parents. I want to marry you to make you happy. If you do not pick me, I understand. But at least accept me as a friend."

At the end of Draco's testimony, Hermione began to feel tears forming in her brown eyes. The boys' statements were powerful and moving, but her heart was pleading her not to accept them until she heard the last two testimonies, which were from two men associated with Voldemort and the Death Eaters.

Minerva handed the young woman a handkerchief to dry away her tears. "Miss Granger, as you know, your first suitor was Lucius Malfoy. Unfortunately, he cannot be with us tonight, but he given us his statement on a parchment. I will read it and then we will move on to the last testimony."

The older witch unrolled the paper and read aloud the words of the second cruelest man in the wizarding world. "'Miss Hermione Granger, I am pleased to say that I am no longer the self-centered man I used to be. I used to think that pureblood wizards and witches were the best. I was wrong; I am convinced that Muggle-borns are very special to our world for they are the bridge between the Muggle world and the wizarding word.

"'That being said, I am asking for your hand in marriage in accordance to this law. As you may have heard, my wife Narcissa was murdered by the Dark Lord, and I hidden myself away from his watch. I still grieve for my loss, but I cannot continue living on my tears. I do not care about our great age difference, and I do not care about how much your parents make for a living (although I hear Muggle dentists get paid well in your world).

"'I simply want you to be happy with your life, and I would be honored to be the father of your children. I am more than willing to understand your heritage better than before, considering the fact not all Muggle-born wizards and witches are filthy. Maybe you could teach Draco a few things about the Muggle world too.'"

At that moment, Draco began to ponder those words. Since when has Father ever suggested that idea, he thought. Did he hit head on one of Severus' cauldrons?

"'Hermione Granger, if you accept my proposal, I promise to make you a wonderful wife in the Malfoy family,'" said Minerva. She rolled the paper and placed it aside on her desk. "Well, that leaves us with one more statement. It turns out minutes before you were called down here, one more wizard decided to become a possible suitor, Miss Granger."

She looked down at the witch through her spectacles. "You know who it is, don't you?"

"Yes, Headmistress," answered Hermione. "Professor Snape."

"Five points to Gryffindor," chuckled Severus. "I find it interesting that a fine intelligent witch like you could be a such a match to me. You seem to carry perfect marks in many of your classes, Miss Granger, although you are not far behind in a few, such as mine. Yet, you receive O's in all of them, and you currently hold the second grade point average in the history of Hogwarts. Tell me, Miss Granger, do you know who was the smartest student of all time?"

Hermione gulped and replied in a shake you, "You?"

"Yes, or so I have been told. You have surpassed my mother, who now holds the third highest rank. Consider yourself one of the most brilliant students we have ever came across in this building. And I already know why you are in shock at the moment, considering that you have just heard a praise coming from my own lips. However, it is not praise; it is the truth.

"Miss Granger, I may be a stubborn, cranky old git, as your friends have called me in the past, but that is because I am very choosy. I choose my friends wisely, which I truly none because I do not tolerate lack of intelligence, and I do the same regarding to finding a witch for a wife. As far as you know, I have never been involved in a relationship during these past seven years. In fact, it has been a long time since I was interested in a witch, yet I never pursued an engagement with one."

He paused for a brief moment, noting that Harry was becoming irritated with him. "But given the circumstances, we will not continue about my love life in the past. I would rather talk about the future.

"When I look for a witch, I want her to have more than just common sense. I want her to be able to talk about intellectual topics over coffee or butterbeer. I want her to be interested in not only her career but also mine, for I hope to make her my assistant in the years to come. I do not tolerate stupidity and carelessness on a daily basis, and that is why I have had difficulty find that special witch until I met you.

"And now with this marriage law, it is possible that with your acceptance, my search will come to an end. Yes, I have been fond of you for a while, primarily because of the parallel life of a witch I once knew." His black eyes met Harry's once more, seeing the fire rising higher in the green orbs.

"I am aware of the fact," he continued, "that I am old enough to be your father, but I do not care about age. In fact, there are witches in the world who do marry older men out of their will and out of force, depending on their society. I may not be as rich as Lucius and Draco, but I can assure you, Miss Granger, that I make enough money to provide a family of my own. And I will see to it that our children will get the best education as much as possible before they are enrolled in a wizarding school like Hogwarts. I intend to teach them at home when I am not at work, and I know you plan to do the same.

"I too make a promise of happiness, despite of my harsh criticism I have given you in the past. Perhaps you can melt the ice in my heart and open my eyes once again. I do not believe in annulment or divorce; I believe that marriage is sacred to a wizard, as well as to a witch. Therefore, Miss Granger, please accept my proposal as you rationally make your decision."

Hermione remained silent, although her heart was beating wildly. She took in the words of her professor and realized that he never mentioned anything about her beauty but rather her intelligence and her preference of a wizard. She knew the two of them had a few things in common, but she never knew just how much they were alike.

_Two feet below the surface_

_I can still make out your wavy face_

_And if I could just reach you_

_Maybe I could leave this place_

"Miss Granger," asked Minerva. "Are you ready?"

The young woman turned toward the headmistress and asked, "Could I step outside and think things through?"

"Certainly, child. I will give you five minutes to make your decision." She led Hermione to the wooden door and closed it behind the student. She turned to the four suitors and said in a stern voice, "Not a single word from any of you."

Harry and Ron sighed in frustration and glared at their Potions Master, who was, in return, smirking at their anger. Typical Gryffindors, he thought.

_I do not want this_

Meanwhile, Hermione slowly paced back and forth as she thought about the five testimonies that had been given to her. Why me, she thought. Harry and Ron are like brothers to me, and if I marry one and not the other, they would never be forgiving because they are so close.

Draco is a Malfoy and a Slytherin. I do not know if he is telling the truth, but I feel like he is. But his father is still involved with Voldemort, and marrying either one is too dangerous for me. Besides, there is no telling what goes on in that sick mind of Lucius. Somehow, I find it strange that he requested a marriage law right after the death of his wife.

And as for Professor Snape? Okay, Hermione, he is a spy for the Order, not a spy for Voldemort. He thinks you are an insufferable know-it-all, but he just praised you for your intelligence, although he denied it as praise to my face. And yes, he killed Dumbledore, but it had to be done, and he has saved your arse several times. But marrying him could pose as a threat to Harry.

What do I do? Why must this be so difficult for a witch like me?

"Miss Granger," called Minerva, "you may come in now."

Hermione took a deep breath and opened the door. She saw the four wizards standing by the fireplace, waiting for her decision.

She glanced at the headmistress in fear. "Well?" asked the older witch. "Who will it be?"

_Don't you tell me how I feel_

She looked at the floor and closed her eyes, feeling a tear falling down her cheek. "I choose…" she began. Another tear rolled down from her right eye as she tried to regain her composure. "I choose…"

"Come on," whispered Harry.

"You can do it," muttered Ron.

The witch swallowed thickly and opened her eyes. "I choose Professor Snape."

She watched her best friends stare at in her in shock and wonder. Their hearts broke into many pieces. "You chose him over us?" cried Ron.

"Why, Hermione?" asked Harry. "We're your friends!"

"That's just the reason why I did not pick you two," replied Hermione. "You two would fight over me, and I do not want to be the object of your arguments."

"But Snape? The Greasy Git?"

"I can't believe it!" said Ron. "And I thought you were smart!"

"I am, Ronald! Please be happy for me!" Hermione felt another threat of tears approaching at a fast rate. She was uncertain which of the two current scenarios was scarier: marrying the most hated person in Hogwarts or losing her two best friends since her first year.

_You don't know just how I feel_

"No, 'Mione," said Harry. "We cannot let you do this."

"You stop right there, Mr. Potter," interrupted Minerva. "Miss Granger has made her decision. She cannot turn back, even if she does possess the Time Turner. Her fate is now sealed. She must marry Professor Snape right away."

"When should I arrange the wedding date?" asked Hermione.

"No need to worry about that, child," replied the Headmistress. "You will be married tonight."

I apologize for the delay, but I think this chapter was worth the wait. Please send me some good reviews if you want to see the wedding!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	12. Ch 12: I Do Not Want This, 2

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

I already have Chapter 13 finished, and I plan to upload it sometime next week before I go home for the summer.

From what I have read, I know many of you liked the last chapter. I am trying my best to top it with the next few chapters. I think you are going to like this one, especially since I have incorporated three notable figures in the text. Lemon drop, anyone?

And I am going to wrap up "I Do Not Want This" in this chapter. It sounds very appropriate, don't you think?

Chapter 12: I Do Not Want This, pt. 2

"Married? Tonight?" cried Hermione. "But what about my family? They will need to be informed about this! I can't go home before the holidays and introduce Professor Snape to my parents as my husband! My father will kill me! And my mother always wanted to be a part of my wedding! I don't want to let her down!"

"I know how you feel, Miss Granger," said Minerva in a soothing voice. "I understand you want to have a wedding similar to the traditional Muggle wedding, but we cannot do that tonight. Now maybe if Professor Snape and you decide to renew your vows in ten years or so, then you can have the wedding you dreamed about for a long time."

"But why tonight, Minerva?" asked Severus, seething with anger. "I see no reason to rush into things. I have parchments to grade and Wolfsbane to brew before I make my rounds this evening! Can't this wait until tomorrow or at least as soon as we can contact the Grangers about this?"

"Severus, you know Lucius Malfoy and his anger. Since he convinced the Ministry to propose this marriage law, he will be the first to know about Hermione's chosen suitor, and he will certainly not be pleased with any of us. And what if there is no tomorrow for either of you?" replied the headmistress. "Your work can wait, and I will have Argus do your rounds tonight, maybe for the rest of the year now that you will have other 'demands' from this point on."

Severus scoffed in return, crossing his arms over his chest defiantly. How he hated that practical woman! "Damn Gryffindors and their impatience," he muttered.

"I hate to be the bearer of stupid questions but, does that mean Hermione has to get laid by him tonight as well?" asked Ron, who was blushing bright red and struggling to keep his appetite for dinner.

"Ronald!" scolded Hermione.

"I am afraid so, Mr. Weasley," answered Minerva.

Harry sat in his seat, burying his face into his hands. "I can't believe this!" he groaned. "My best friend chose my least favorite professor over me, and she is going to get fucked by him after their wedding before the night is over all because of a bloody marriage law!"

"Watch your tongue, Mr. Potter!" barked Severus.

"I'm sorry, _Professor_, but this is my friend we are talking about! She does not deserve to go through this pain! She deserves to be happy!"

"And she will be happy!"

"No, she won't. Not with you. Being married to a spy will be hard for her, especially since you work for both the Order and for Voldemort! And now that you have a history of murder, you could kill her if you wanted to!"

"Harry Potter, you stop right there!" scolded Minerva. "Be thankful she will be safer in Severus' care than any other male Death Eater or even yours or Mr. Weasley. Even Mr. Malfoy would tell you that."

Harry turned to the young Slytherin and asked, "Do you agree with me or with Minerva?"

"I stand where I want to stand, Potter," replied the blonde with an emotionless face. For once, he was not showing off his Slytherin side of his attitude. "While I agree that Granger should not be put in this situation, I also agree that she will be safe being married to my godfather. I personally do not trust my father, and I wanted to marry her for the sake of her safety. However, since Father is a high ranked official and does not like the Light or Hogwarts, she would most likely be given to _him_ as a toy, and if she did choose me, I would not be surprised to come home and see a letter from Father telling me that he is holding her hostage in _his _care."

The Boy-Who-Lived clenched his fists tight and began to walk toward the door. As his hand reached for the knob, he said loud enough for everyone to hear, "I hope you are happy, Hermione. Just remember, if the Greasy Git hurts you, I will be the first one to know, and I will have my wand ready."

Everyone in the room watched him slam the door as he sulked toward his room. Ron turned to Hermione with a frown on his face and said, "You be careful, 'Mione. You let me know if Snape lays a finger on you. If he does, I will give him a hex that he had never seen before." He gave the Potions Master a threatening look and chased after his best friend.

Draco felt that it was an awkward moment to be in the same room with an upset Gryffindor who was just been left behind by her best friends and a furious Head of Slytherin who looked like he going to be hexing two certain students before the night was over. "I guess this would my cue to leave," he said. "I wish the both of you the best of luck."

Hermione fell to her knees as she heard the door close shut and began to weep. "Don't leave me, guys," she sobbed. "Don't leave me."

_I stay inside my bed_

_I have lived so many lives all in my head_

_Don't tell me that you care_

_There really isn't anything, is there?_

Minerva bent down and held the witch in her arms. "Do not cry like that, Hermione," she said. "It is not very becoming for a bride-to-be. I am sorry I had to make you go through this, but I cannot go against the law. I must see to it that every student of age follows it."

"Minerva, has there been any other marriages within the school during these last few weeks?" asked Severus calmly and coolly.

"I am afraid your marriage to Miss Granger will be the first one regarding to this law, Severus." She helped her student back on her feet and added, "I will make the announcement at dinner tonight, but your wedding will be private here in my office. You each can only bring one witness, and I prefer, Miss Granger, that you do not ask Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley, given the circumstances of today's events."

Hermione reluctantly nodded her head. "Are you certain telling the entire school is the best thing to do?"

"It will be known within days, Miss Granger. I want all rumors to be dispelled before they even begin. Do you understand this?"

"Yes."

"And from now on, starting tonight, you are to sit with Professor Snape at all meals. It will be for your safety within your house, and it would not look proper for a wife to not eat with her husband."

Hermione felt her heart break. The headmistress is making this whole marriage law discussion a call for segregation, she thought. What's next? I cannot sleep in my own rooms if Professor Snape does not wish to touch me?

"And we will have the house elves move your personal belongings into Professor Snape's quarters during the wedding," added Minerva. "After the wedding, the Head Girl of Hogwarts will be living with the Head of Slytherin."

Damn.

"All I request is that I keep my Slytherin colors in my private rooms, Minerva," said Severus.

"You will, Severus, but we will also incorporate Miss Granger's house colors as well. You _will_ tolerate that idea, won't you?" The headmistress gave a stern look at her employee.

"Yes, I will," he sighed, rolling his eyes in disgust.

"That being said, we will have the wedding promptly at 8:00. I plan to contact Mr. Scrimgeour immediately so he can too participate in this wedding. He is, after all, licensed to do so."

"And what shall I wear?" asked Hermione. "I need to get a wedding dress!"

"Well, as you know, we do not have a white wedding dress for you, nor do we have a black wedding tuxedo for Severus. We also do not have white wedding cake for the guests, nor do we marry wizards and witches in a church since this is not a Muggle wedding. This is a wizarding wedding. I suggest that both of you come to my office dressed in your house colors well-groomed and proper." The older witch looked at the Potions Master with a smirk on her face. "And, Severus, do wash that wonderful hair of yours and do a quick shave before you exchange vows. Make Slytherin look good for this wedding."

Severus sneered at the Head of Gryffindor and took Hermione's hand into his. "I will have a seat saved for you at the staff table. Meet me in the Great Hall."

Without uttering another word, he casually strolled out of the office and toward his chamber, his black robes billowing behind him like an angry dark storm cloud.

Minutes later, the Great Hall was filled with hungry students waiting for their dinners. Ginny saw her brother and boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend due to the marriage law, taking their spots at the Gryffindor table. "Where's Hermione?" she asked.

"You mean the future Mrs. Snape?" asked an irritated Harry.

"That's a good one, Harry. No, seriously, where is she?"

"We're telling you the truth!" said Ron. "She is going to marry Snape tonight!"

The redheaded sixth year student looked at the boys with a loss of words until her lips curved into a smile followed by a giggle. "She's gonna have to give me all the details from tonight."

"Ginerva, I want to eat my dinner! I don't want to think about Snape and Hermione –"

"Quiet, Ron!" hissed Harry. "I want to eat too!"

Suddenly the large dining room was filled with silence, and without missing a beat, the entire student body focused their attention on the staff table. Severus walked through the entrance and took his seat next to Professor Flitwick. Behind him was a quiet and nervous Hermione taking a spot between to her soon-to-be husband and her Head of House.

Students from all four houses, especially Gryffindor and Slytherin, whispered among each other. They were curious and wondered why the Head of Slytherin and the Head Girl, a Gryffindor, were sitting next to each other with the other faculty members. "She must be under a spell," suggested several students.

Dean Thomas looked at Harry and Ron and asked, "She picked him?"

"Yeah," groaned Harry.

"Traitor," muttered Ron.

Minerva took a deep breath and stood from her seat. "As you may have noticed, our Head Girl has taken a spot at this table next to Professor Snape. I know you were aware that all petitions concerning the marriage law ended this evening. Miss Hermione Granger was the first student to be petitioned, and after going through the list of her suitors, she decided to marry Professor Snape."

Several students from the Gryffindor and Slytherin tables began to protest, but Minerva raised her hands, as if she knew an incident like that would happen, and yelled, "Quiet! You ought to be ashamed of yourselves! This is the exact reason why their wedding tonight will be private. After the wedding, I do not want to hear any more complaints from any student. I want each and every one of you to be respectful to Miss Granger and to Professor Snape from this point on. If not, there will be some serious house point deduction, especially from the Gryffindor and Slytherin houses. Do I make myself clear?"

Once her announcement had been made, Minerva was certain the wedding would be the talk of the meal. Many students grumbled, but Harry, Ron and Ginny ate in silence. The youngest Weasley, however, saw that even her best friend and the Potions Master were doing just the same.

Except they were seen holding each other's hands.

_You would know, would you?_

_You extend your hand to those who suffer_

_To those who know what it really feels like_

_To those who've had a taste_

_Like that means something_

After dinner, Hermione and Severus were dismissed to their rooms to prepare for the wedding. The bride looked through her wardrobe and found nothing that would have been appropriate for a wedding like hers. She had mostly Muggle clothing, but she also had a few dresses that were accepted in the wizarding world.

Thankfully, after six years of attending Hogwarts, she had been taught how to transfigure an object into something else. She took the pink and red-violet dress she wore to the Yule Ball during her fourth year, and with her wand, she transfigured it into a velvet red dress with gold trimmings, representing Gryffindor. "It's better than nothing," she muttered.

Suddenly, she heard a knock at the door. "Who is it?" she asked.

"It's me," replied Ginny. "Are you decent?"

"I still have clothes on."

"I'm coming in." Ginny opened the door and gasped at the dress in Hermione's hands. "Where in Merlin's name did you get that?"

"Using some tips that were given from Professor McGonagall over the years, I decided to transfigure my old Yule Ball dress into a wedding dress for tonight," replied Hermione. "I take it you like it."

"I love it, but I'm pretty certain Snape won't, providing that he knew the history about the dress."

"I don't care if he does or not. He has to wear his Slytherin colors anyway. It's going to be weird to see him in something besides black and a frock coat with those billowing robes behind him."

"For once in his life, he's going to look more of a prince than a bat?"

Hermione snorted with laughter. "That is the funniest thing I have ever heard today!"

"Well, I had to cheer you up somehow. The students did not take the headmistress' announcement kindly."

"You're telling me. You should have seen what was going on after I made my decision!"

"Let me guess: my famous ex-boyfriend and my temperamental brother, who is also _your_ ex-boyfriend, were pissed off."

"More than that," said Hermione with a frown. "They threatened to hex Professor Snape if he dared to harm me. They'd probably use an Unforgivable curse on him together at once. And you know how hotheaded Harry and Ron can be."

"Yeah," agreed Ginny. "I dated one Gryffindor and I'm the sister of another, who is his best friend. Of course, you are the oddball of the group."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You don't have the personality of a Gryffindor."

"I know. But if I wasn't born in a Muggle family, I would be in Ravenclaw."

"That or Slytherin," smirked Ginny. "You do have the cleverness of a Slytherin."

"But I don't feel so clever now." Hermione picked up her brush and began to comb out the tangles in her curly hair. "What am I going to do, Ginny? Professor Snape thinks I am the incarnate of Lily Potter, and I still feel like he's been stalking me for a while."

"Is he right?"

"That's the thing: he _is_ right. And he had a huge crush on Lily when they were in school."

"So that means the gods have given him a second chance to love!" squealed Ginny.

"But what about me? I don't want to go into this marriage!" She slammed her brush on the wooden top of her vanity dresser and plopped onto her little seat. "He put himself on that list because he knew I would pick him over my other four suitors. It's so unfair!"

Ginny picked up the brush and began to finish Hermione's task. "Look, 'Mione, life is not fair," she said. "I didn't want to break up with Harry when we heard the news, and I had to petition for one of the wealthiest Muggle-born wizards in Knockturn Alley. But you know what will happen if you don't follow the law, and you're such a good friend of mine. I don't want to lose you because you did not want to get married in the first place."

Hermione nodded her head and said, "Thanks, Gin. You're the only friend I have left who understands what I'm going through right now." She turned her head, wiping away the tears from her eyes. "Will you come with me to the wedding?" she asked. "I need at least a witness besides the headmistress."

Ginny smiled and answered, "Of course, I would! Now let's get you ready for that wedding!"

_And oh so sick I am_

_And maybe I don't have a choice_

_And maybe that is all I have_

_And maybe this is a cry for help_

As the clock struck eight o'clock, candles lit up Minerva's office as the wedding ceremony began. Severus waited patiently for his bride wearing a pair of green trousers and a silver frock coat with green trimmings as well as a Slytherin crest jewel around his neck. Hanging from his shoulders was a green robe, but unlike his traditional black robe, this garment did not make him resemble a big bat. He followed Minerva's instructions and was able to do a quick shave and wash his black hair, although it still appeared to be oily. Thankfully, his hair had grown long enough to be pulled back into a small ponytail tied with a green ribbon.

There was no doubt that the witness from his house was Draco Malfoy. He too was dressed in his finest, proudly displaying his house colors. He whispered into Severus' ear and asked, "Are you sure want to do this? I mean I could always take your spot since she is my age."

"Draco, I am not in the mood," warned the Potions Master.

_I do not want this_

"Lighten up, Severus. You look like you are about to _Avada Kedavra_ Potter or the Weasel."

"Perhaps I am, but not those two at the moment. I am rather thinking of a certain ferret that is getting under my skin."

Draco paled for a moment, but quickly cleared his throat, shuffling away from his godfather. He knew that even though Severus had more words and less action, he also had a temper like a hurricane if he was agitated.

_Don't tell me how I feel_

The main door of the office finally opened minutes later, and Hermione, dressed in red and gold with her hair styled in a neat bun and a few ringlets, slowly walked to the groom. When he had offered her his right hand, she accepted it and stood beside him as Rufus Scrimgeour opened his book of wizardry, turning to the page with the sacred words of marriage.

_You don't know how I feel_

Draco and Ginny stood together as they watched two particular figures from their houses unite with each other in matrimony. Little did they know that there was another Slytherin and Gryffindor couple watching the ceremony from afar.

The ghosts of Godric Gryffindor and Salazar Slytherin observed the wedding from their portraits. "Who would have imagined two brilliant Hogwarts residents – a student and a professor – would become one, especially since she is from my house and he is the head of yours," commented Godric.

"If I were you, I would keep your mouth shut, Gryffindor," hissed Salazar. "This is an embarrassment to my kin."

"Your kin? What about mine? No, forget what I had just said. Why would this be embarrassing to you?"

"A Slytherin and a Gryffindor are getting married right before my eyes!"

"Well, at least he's not a pureblood," snickered Godric. "He has some Muggle in him."

"But she comes from a family of Muggles," added Salazar with a sneer.

"So, what are the odds of their children becoming Squibs?"

"Unless Severus Snape has the same powerful magic as his mother had when she was a student here, there is a good chance the Snape children will be born without any magic."

Godric frowned as he continued to watch the ceremony. He hoped that Salazar was wrong and that he could see a group of intelligent children get their acceptance letters to Hogwarts in the next eleven years.

"Did the truth hurt you, Gryffindor?" asked Salazar. "If it did, I forgot to mention one piece of valuable information."

"What would that be, Slytherin?"

"The fact that one of my descendants is alive and well after being resurrected not too long ago. I fear that there might just be one Snape child coming to Hogwarts in the future, providing that someone like Harry Potter is able to throw time off its course."

"What do you mean?"

Salazar looked at his companion with sad eyes and replied, "Neither Severus nor Hermione nor their unborn child will survive the last battle."

"Oh, Merlin," sighed Godric. "I hope Harry has that ability to do so. I want to keep this rivalry between our houses at bay for a long time, especially through this marriage."

"All I can say is this marriage is ill-fated, but, thankfully, she is not marrying Riddle. That would surely be one hell of a marriage of doom."

Within minutes, Rufus introduced the couple as Mr. and Mrs. Severus Snape. Hermione was welcomed with a hug from Minerva and Ginny, whereas her husband shook Draco's hand as the Head Boy congratulated him. And even Albus Dumbledore, who witnessed the wedding as well from his portrait, chuckled to himself. "It's about time a smart woman like Miss Granger put that boy in his place. Maybe he can learn something or two from her and appreciate her knowledge for once."

Rufus, however, smiled as he exited the office, only to be greeted by a snakehead cane up his chin right outside the closed door. There in front of him stood an angry Lucius Malfoy, his eyes glowing red with black slits. "You allowed this to happen, Scrimgeour? I thought we had a deal!"

"It was her decision, Lucius. I could not hurt the girl by changing it for you."

"You couldn't or you wouldn't?"

Before the Minister for Magic could reply, the possessed Lucius grabbed him and quickly Disapparated from the location.

Back in the office, Severus felt a strange presence floating in the air. His eyes quickly scanned every corner of the room, but although he saw nothing suspicious, he kept hearing the sound of snakes hissing loudly in the back of his mind. He glanced at the door and knew there was a familiar being on the other side of the barrier for the hissing grew louder. But before he could take one step forward, the hissing stopped and the creature disappeared.

Clearing his throat to make his presence known, he walked over to his newlywed bride, startling her for a moment as he crept up behind her. "Excuse us, everyone, but my wife and I would like to retire for the night," he said, taking Hermione by the hand.

"Severus, what's wrong?" asked Minerva. "Something is troubling you. You had never seem to be so eager about something like this unless there is trouble."

"Indeed. And Hermione and I must consummate this marriage right away."

"You can't be serious!" protested his new wife. "It's only 8:23! It's not time to leave; we haven't had the reception yet."

"We cannot wait any longer, Mrs. Snape. We must go now." He led her out of the room and walked briskly to his chamber near the Astronomy Tower.

_I want to know everything_

_I want to be everything_

"What's the meaning of this?" demanded Hermione. "One minute you were calm and collected, and now you are like a man on a mission! What the hell is going on here?"

Severus whirled around so they were face to face. "Do you understand that our lives are currently in danger?" he asked. "I just felt _his_ presence outside of Minerva's office, and I fear that he is going after you unless I mark you."

"And consummating our marriage will prove that you have marked me? Or are you using that snake for an excuse to spread my legs right now?"

She feared she had angered her husband greatly, but Severus was smart enough not to make his wife cry on their wedding night. Taking a deep breath to calm himself down, he continued to explain his reason. "Miss Granger… No, Hermione. You know I am an ex-Death Eater working as a spy for the Order. Because I am still considered as an active member, I must follow the rules of marriage within the Death Eaters. Consummating the marriage must be done right away or else _he_ will take the great pleasure that should have been mine. Understand?"

Hermione nodded silently, not bothering to ask more questions, and followed her husband blindly up the stairs to his domain. As she climbed each step, she began to wonder about his experience in bed. The only things that bothered her the most, though, was the question of his preferred style of making love, if one could call it making love: tender or rough?

She began to ponder the latter.

_I want to fuck everyone in the world_

_I want to do something that matters_

I'm sorry I had to leave you all hanging here, but you will have to wait for the next chapter, obviously the first lemon of this story. Don't forget to review this one!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	13. Ch 13: Closer, 1 Lemon

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

Warning: Very dark lemon ahead… As if you didn't see this one coming! And we all know the song I picked.

Chapter 13: Closer, pt. 1

Severus opened the door to his private rooms for his now scared and troublesome wife. He was aware of the changes that had taken place since his leave before the wedding. No longer was everything green and black; his chamber was catered for him and for Hermione. He saw some red and gold mixed in his furniture and in the walls. His once green pillows with silver tassels on his dark green sofa were now replaced with red pillows trimmed in gold tassels. Next to his Slytherin crest on his fireplace mantel was the Gryffindor crest.

"I see the house elves have done an adequate job," he commented, holding Hermione close to him.

He felt her tremble in his arms and knew she was just as scared as he was. "There is no need to be afraid, wife. That is very non-Gryffindor of you to do so."

"I'm sorry," said Hermione with a weak smile. "It's just that… Well, I'm a virgin."

The Potions Master arched an eyebrow, his face still appearing to be without emotion. "And I thought after all this time you were involved with Krum or perhaps Weasley."

"I was raised in a moral family, despite of differences toward religious beliefs."

He frowned and lowered his gaze to the floor. "I apologize, my dear, if you sense regret from me tonight. Because of what I have done in the past, I feel like I do not deserve to have this moment with you, but given the circumstances, I have no other option."

"What have you done that would make you feel this way, besides killing Dumbledore?" asked Hermione.

"You know what the Death Eaters do, Madame Snape. We rape, we torture, and we kill. I, unfortunately, took part in those revels." He looked into her brown eyes and saw more tears flowing down her face. "I regret doing them, but I had to do what I had to do. Otherwise, I would not be here."

"Professor…"

"Severus," he interrupted. "When we are not in class and we are alone, I want you to use my given name, especially tonight. The idea of you screaming 'Professor' in the middle of what we are about to do might disgust and repulse me. I do not want to feel like a pedophile." He sighed, trying to erase the fantasy of taking his young wife in his classroom that he had just created in his mind. "Now what did you want to ask me, Hermione?"

"Please, S-S-Severus," she stuttered. "Tell me how we are going to go about this consummation?"

"Because we are going to be doing it in the manner of a Death Eater, it will hurt, especially since you waited for a long time for this."

The idea of her first time having sex was already bad enough. The idea of her first time having sex painfully with a former Death Eater scared the young Gryffindor woman even more. She knew that losing her virginity was not going to be pleasant, nor would it be during her second and third time. But in respect of her husband's affiliation, she would have to suffer the pain through the night. After all, she was a Gryffindor and Gryffindors, she thought, do no give up easily.

Severus took her by the hand and walked to the master bedroom. The walls had been changed from a dark green to a dark red, almost like maroon except slightly lighter. His headboard on his bed had an engraved image of a lion and a serpent, representing the hybrid of the two houses. His green satin bed sheets, however, did not change. Perhaps, he thought, it was for the best.

Using wandless magic, he closed the door behind him and led her to the bed. With each step she took, Hermione began to feel afraid. He's going to rape me, she thought. He's going to rip me apart.

Her husband smirked. Even without reading her thoughts, he knew what was running through her head. "I promise the next time we do this, I will be gentle. That is to say, I will at least try to be gentle."

"And how would you know that you are not gentle, Severus?"

"That, my dear wife, is confession I am about make. To be honest, I truly have not lost my virginity. I want to lose it to the witch I love with all my life, and I promised myself that I would be gentle with her. You, my dear, are that witch tonight, but I cannot be gentle tonight in the wedding bed. It is not rape; it is just a rough fuck."

"Whatever happened to the idea of making love?"

"That is when both partners are in love with each other. You and I know this is not the case because we were truly not in love before our wedding, although I must confess my lust for you might be good enough for now. However, I do not know if we will learn to love each other in time. That will be completely up to you. Understand?"

Hermione swallowed the cry that was stuck in her throat and nodded her head. "Then, let's just get this done and over with."

"'Get this done and over with?' Is that the Gryffindor in you I sense?" he chuckled. "Are you trying to be brave, Hermione?"

"Y-Y-Yes."

"Foolish woman." He lifted her chin with his finger and brought her lips toward his, brushing them lightly. He felt her shudder at his touch, a sign of her innocence.

_You make me violate you_

_You make me desecrate you_

He drew her into his kiss, hard at first but growing gentle as his tongue probed for entrance. The intensity made her feel lightheaded and whimper, but she felt like she was drunk for she could not seem to get enough of what he had to offer her. She had been kissed before, but never like this. And he thinks this is not gentle, she thought.

But she was proven wrong all too soon. His right hand reached around her back and found the zipper of her dress. Pulling it down fast, Hermione gasped at the contact of cold air against her skin. She instinctively pulled her body closer to her husband's, making him groan as he felt her nipples grow hard under her dress.

He pushed her away just a little bit to allow some distance between them. Sure enough, his eyes lingered toward her bosom, and he could already feel discomfort in his trousers. He leaned down and nipped hard at her neck as he drew her red dress further down her body, hearing a quick intake of air from her lips with his sudden movement until the fabric had pooled around her feet.

She cried out quietly at the feeling of the cold air in the room and then moaned at the feeling of his warm tongue on her skin, followed by a few nibbles. She was barely aware of his long fingers reaching up her spine and expertly undoing the clasp of her white strapless bra, only to shudder again as she felt it fall off and land on top of her dress.

_You make me penetrate you_

_You make me complicate you_

With his mouth still on her neck, marking her with a combination of pain and pleasure, his hands found her small breasts and squeezed them hard. His thumbs reached up to her nipples and began to rub them gently in circles. When they finally felt like hard pebbles, he plucked them.

"Ow!" hissed Hermione. "That hurts, Severus!"

"Did I say I was going to be gentle, Hermione?" he asked huskily.

Hermione was about to protest but her words were stuck in her throat as she felt his tongue lick the center of one hard light brown nub, savoring its texture and turning the hardened peak into a light shade a pink with a flick of his tongue. A jolt of pleasure spread through her body and settled between her legs, making her feel slightly wet, and yet, she felt that she was still not ready for him.

But all the pleasure disappeared when he bit hard on the nipple and then proceeded to suck on it for a while. Her hands grabbed a fistful of black hair, yanking out the green ribbon that held it back. She hissed as he continued to feast on her breast, only to hiss even more when he decided to pay attention to the other.

As his mouth worshiped her body, his fingers found their way to the front of her white knickers and slowly pulled them down, teasing her mound with his boney knuckles. Once the object of his search was revealed, he yanked down her knickers, a burning sensation running down her legs.

Lifting up his virgin bride and tossing her shoes aside, he dropped her onto his bed and fell on top of her so she could not escape. She moaned as she felt something hard hit her clit and began to moan even more as Severus moved his hips so she could feel how aroused he was.

_Help me_

_I broke apart my insides_

_Help me_

_I've got no soul to tell_

_Help me_

_The only thing that works for me_

_Help me get away from myself_

"Severus," she breathed, "I need… Ah…"

"Patience is a virtue all Gryffindors need to learn, Madame Snape," he said through clenched teeth. He reached between their bodies and unzipped the fly of his trousers. As his large erection fell out and briefly touched her skin, she mewed like a kitten. She was disappointed that he was still dressed, although he lowered his pants far enough to free the cause of his discomfort.

He spread her legs wide and saw the pink jewel between her folds. He ran a finger along the lower lips and shoved into her. Hermione whimpered in pain, biting her tongue to hold back her cry. Once she had become accustomed to his finger, he shoved another one into her and began to pump his hand in and out of her haven, stretching her to make room for his aroused and pulsing organ. "Yes, Hermione," he murmured in a silky yet raspy voice. "I cannot wait to bewitch your mind and ensnare your senses."

As much as he wanted to taste the wetness of her treasure, he felt as if he was running out of time. He did not also want her to cum just yet. Pulling his fingers out, he positioned himself between her thighs, rubbing his erection against her clit. He watched her toss her head from side to side in agony.

He would have continued tormenting her, but what came out of her mouth next made him shudder in fear.

"Severus, please…"

His body became completely frozen as the words haunted him. The last time someone begged with those words was the man he killed years prior to that night. And hearing those two words coming from the lips of his wife bothered him even more. He was afraid that he would kill her just as well if he took her body too hard and too rough.

Just like the victims he had brutally hurt during his Death Eater days.

_I wanna fuck you like an animal_

_I wanna feel you from the inside_

_I wanna fuck you like an animal_

_My whole existence is flawed_

_You get me closer to God_

Fear and regret washed over him, but he shook his bad memories away as he forced himself into his bride, ripping her hymen apart and covering her mouth with his in a kiss to silence her painful scream. When she was finally quiet, he pulled away and saw tears streaming down her face. He caught them with his thumb and kissed them away.

"I'm sorry, Hermione," he whispered. "You will not feel that kind of pain again. I promise." He began to move hard, but Hermione felt another shot of discomfort through her body. She cried out, begging her husband to stop, but with each stroke, he pounded into her. And with each stroke, she felt like she was being stabbed by a great sword.

She clawed at his robe and sobbed loudly as Severus quickened the pace. She found no pleasure in this sex act, primarily because she was a virgin but also because she was not completely ready for him. She knew she could not fit all of him in her tiny body; she felt his erection slip out of her completely and watched him reposition himself again each time. Even more to Severus' dismay, her body was unresponsive to his demand. She simply lied on the sheets and allowed him to fuck her.

Severus sighed in frustration, knowing that it was impossible for him to reach his climax that night with situation his wife was being put through. Moments later, he decided to give up. He had taken her virginity; it was a sign that their marriage was consummated. It was good enough for him.

He pulled out of her and saw how red and bloody her thighs were. He had forced himself on his wife, on their wedding night of all nights, and he could not continue if the only thing that Hermione could do was to cry from the pain he had caused. If there was one thing about the fair sex that he did not like, it was watching an innocent woman cry.

It reminded him too much of his mother and any female victim he took during his time with the Death Eaters.

Reaching for his wand in his back pocket of his pants, he scourgfied himself, his wife, and the bed sheets, knowing that he would not be able to fully consummate his marriage the way he intended to that night, but it was consummated, nevertheless. At least the Ministry will be happy to know, he thought.

He laid his wand on the bedside table, pulled up his pants and zipped them shut, and took his young sobbing wife into his arms. "I'm so sorry, Hermione," he whispered, soothing her and rubbing her back in tiny circles.

"I'm a horrible bed partner," she cried into his shirt. "I can't seem to please my husband."

"No, you are not horrible. Don't say that. I could tell you were not ready for this and you have to remember that you were just a virgin. I apologize if I was too rough for you."

His dark gaze fell on her breasts, frowning at the sight of the bruises he had left behind. He knew that he left some between her legs and along the side of her neck. How he hated to see them on a beautiful witch like his wife.

"Everything will be okay, Hermione. He can't get to you now." He held her tight in his arms, praying to the gods above that he was right. "You are now mine and mine alone."

They stayed like that until his angel cried herself to sleep. He realized that they were still on top of his bed sheets and cold air began to fill the room. Picking her up and pulling back the covers while discarding his robe, he tucked them in and brought her close to him, taking in the scent that was now Hermione Snape.

But even before he drifted off to sleep, he began to wonder the current whereabouts of the Minister for Magic.

The following morning, a young witch entered the Ministry of Magic headquarters, discovering that the main door was unlocked. She was usually the first person to arrive and the last one to leave, and she had the key to the door ready in her hand. She set her personal belongings at her desk and began to search for suspicious activity within in the building. "H-H-Hello?" she asked.

As she drew closer to the Minister's office, she smelled blood coming from his door. It was not fresh; it smelled like it had been lingering in the air for several hours or so. She turned the knob and screamed at the sight before her eyes.

Rufus Scrimgeour, the Minister for Magic in England, was found dead in his seat in a torn suit and his tie looped around his neck tightly, a victim of a Death Eater attack. It was clearly obvious he had been gangbanged and torture, but because his tie was tight and a bloody wound was noticeable on his chest, he had died from a lack of oxygen and what could have been the Avada Kedavra curse.

And on his desk was a pouch of money of a great worth along with a request to overturn the marriage law that had been issued, providing that marriages have not be consummated.

It was signed and dated only seconds after Hermione and Severus fulfilled their marriage.

I apologize if this chapter seemed a bit short, but I promise the lemons from here on out will be much better. And I tried my best to make the sex scene as realistic as possible. Poor Severus. I hope he gets another chance.

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	14. Ch 14: Ruiner, 2

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

So, my junior year of college is almost over. In fact, I will be done and out of the dorms Thursday afternoon. As far as my summer living arrangements go, I will be living with my parents for one more year, and that means no uploading for a while since I have dial-up connection.

But I do plan to write more, regardless of my situation. As long as my computer does not crash, I will be happy. And I promise to make better lemons. I can tell not many of you liked the last chapter. I honestly don't see why…

Until then, I shall leave you with this chapter.

Chapter 14: Ruiner, pt. 2

The following morning, Hermione jolted out of her fitful slumber at the sound of what could have been Severus slamming his door, along with a slew of expletives. She jumped onto her feet, only to realize that she was stark naked as the events from the previous night rushed to her head. She looked for some kind of garment, and as if he knew she would need it, Severus had provided her a green bathrobe hanging on one of the posts at the foot of his bed.

Slipping the fuzzy material onto her shoulders and tying the belt into a fancy bow, securing the robe tightly, she walked out of the master bedroom and found her husband, fully dressed in his usual black frock coat and trousers, on the couch pinching the bridge of his nose. There was obviously something wrong.

_How did you get so big?_

_How did you get so strong?_

_How did you get so hard?_

_How did you get so long?_

"Severus, what is it?" she asked.

He opened his right eye, looking at her with anger. "You remember Mr. Scrimgeour, the Minister for Magic who married us last night?"

"Yes. What about him?"

He handed her the Saturday morning copy of the _Daily Prophet_ that had came to his chamber overnight. "Read the front cover," he told her.

_You had to give them all a sign, didn't you?_

_You had to covet what was mine, didn't you?_

She took the paper from his hand and gasped at the headlines in bold print: **Minister for Magic Murdered by Death Eaters!**

"But how?" she asked. "How did this happen?"

"I assume Lucius heard about the unfortunate groom whom you had chosen to marry, and he took his anger out on Scrimgeour," replied Severus. "After all, Rufus did write up the Marriage Law at his request, and it would seem Lucius had something in store for you and your friends, Madame Snape. What appears worse is that the entire wizarding world is now fully aware of the Death Eaters once again."

_The ruiner's a collector_

_He's an infector serving shit to his flies_

_Maybe there will come a day_

_When those you keep blind will suddenly realize_

"What about you?"

"I can only hope the Dark Lord will grant me a reward for marrying not only a Muggle-born but also one of Potter's best friends," he sighed. He knew, however, that he might not be forgiven by his "old friend" if they should meet again.

Hermione clenched hey eyes shut as she shed a tear. "But what about the Marriage Law? There is no one else who can marry the couples after us. I mean what will happen to those wizards and witches?"

Severus stood up and placed his hands on his wife's shoulders. "Hermione," he began in a calm voice, "there is no more marriage law. It was abolished after we must have consummated our marriage. But because the marriage law affected only us, we have to still remain married until death, according to the oath we made last night at the ceremony. There cannot be a divorce between us."

The next thing he knew he was holding a bawling Hermione in his arms, knowing that their fate was now forever sealed away because of a short-lived marriage law. And although he lusted for her, he could not tell her that what he felt was love. In return, he knew that she did not have any reciprocal feelings.

"Stupid bloody marriage law," he heard Hermione mutter between hiccups and sobs.

"I know how you feel, my dear," he said. "I know exactly how you feel."

_Maybe it's a part of me you took_

_To a place I hoped it would never go_

_And maybe that fucked me up_

_So much more than you will ever know_

In the Gryffindor tower, hoots and hollers filled the common room as everyone cheered for the abolishment of the Marriage Law, despite of the tragedy behind it. Harry found Ginny and kissed her as if he had returned home from a long war. "Isn't this great, Gin?" he asked. "We can still get married once I propose to you!"

"I know, Harry!" giggled Ginny. "But what about Hermione and Snape?"

"Maybe they didn't do the dirty last night! I mean we can only hope they didn't! If so, that would be even better news!"

The Boy-Who-Lived picked up his girlfriend and spun her around until they both saw their newlywed friend standing the doorway with a frown on her face. "Hey, 'Mione! Did you hear the good news?" asked Harry.

"You mean the bad news?" corrected Hermione.

"Come on, 'Mione! It can't be that bad," countered Ron. "It's not like you slept with the Greasy Git. Or did you?"

A blush appeared on Hermione's face as she recalled the memory of her wedding night, indirectly answering his question.

"Oh shit," murmured Harry.

"That bastard," muttered Ron.

Ginny rushed over to her best friend and gave her a hug. "Do you want to talk about this in private?" she asked, knowing that the Head Girl was on the verge of tears once again.

Hermione nodded and followed the youngest Weasley child to the girls' dormitories, leaving behind a concerned Harry Potter and Ron Weasley.

Ginny locked her door and placed a silencing charm in case certain people were eavesdropping on the other side. She sat next to Hermione on her bed and held the crying woman in her arms. "Now tell me all about it," she said, trying to stifle a giggle. "Was he good?"

"Oh, Gin! It was painful!" wailed Hermione. "He said because Voldemort was present at the wedding, he had to take me in the manner of a Death Eater. Otherwise, I would be fair game among the inner circle as well as Voldemort himself! He had to mark me in order to save me from them!"

"By marking, do you mean he raped you?"

"It felt like it, but I was a virgin before last night! He was very rough!"

Ginny gulped and asked, "If you don't mind, can I see where he marked you?"

Hermione grasped her robe as if her husband was reaching out to touch her. "I don't think that will be necessary!"

"Hermione Granger – I mean, Hermione Snape! You are my best friend, and I have every right know if he hurt you! Please, Hermione."

The Head Girl slowly nodded her head and undid her green robe, letting it fall at her feet. To Ginny's horror, the girl had dark bruises over certain areas of her body. The right side of her neck was covered in bites, her breasts also had teeth marks but also imprints from Severus' fingers when he groped them hard, and between her thighs, there was evidence that he had his way with his wife at a rough and hard pace.

_How did you get so big?_

_How did you get so strong?_

_How did you get so hard?_

_How did you get so long?_

"Merlin's beard, 'Mione!" exclaimed Ginny. "You do look like you were a rape victim!"

"At least he is going to be gentle next time," said Hermione, folding her arms to cover her exposed breasts.

"Are you certain?"

"Well, of course."

"Hermione, let me remind you of a minor detail you are missing. He may be serving for the Order, but he is also their Death Eater-turned-spy!" cried Ginny. "You are married to a Death Eater! Death Eaters are not gentle. Snape has never been gentle to us, even before we found out the truth about him. He does not know the meaning of being gentle!"

She stopped her rant when she saw her friend begin to cry once more. She took her into her arms and said, "We are going to see Madame Pomfrey and get these bruises healed, okay?"

"No," begged Hermione. "Let them be."

"You sure?"

"Yes, I am sure." The newlywed Gryffindor slipped into her robe once again and secured it shut with the tie at her waist. "That being said, I will finish answering your question, Ginny."

The youngest Weasley shook her head. "I don't need to know the rest of the details. I think I have an idea about it."

"No, you don't understand. We… We didn't finish last night."

"What do you mean you didn't finish last night?"

Hermione sighed, tucking a strand of her brunette hair behind her right ear. "He was too big for me and I wasn't quite ready for him."

"You mean to tell me he didn't make you cum!" Ginny gasped. "I mean he takes you roughly and it didn't work for either of you?"

"That is why he said he is going to be gentle with me the next time. I've been marked by him, Gin. That's all."

Ginny stepped up to her best friend and held her hands in hers. "'Mione, if the next time is just as bad as your first, you are going to teach him how to be gentle so he doesn't hurt you every time you two want to make love," she said. "Last night must have been nothing more than just a –"

"Fuck," said Hermione, finishing the sentence for the redhead. "That is what he told me. Well, it was more like a 'rough fuck,' but, yes, it was a fuck, nevertheless."

"I can only hope for the best." Ginny led her friend to the door but stopped herself from unlocking it, only to be stunned with a question that hit her like a hex. "I forgot to ask you, 'Mione," she said. "Does he love you?"

Hermione's face blanched as she recalled her memory from yesterday. She shook her head and added, "I don't remember telling me that he does. Why do you ask?"

"Oh, I was just wondering," replied Ginny as she unlocked her dormitory door and walked next to Hermione toward the Gryffindor common room.

A few minutes later, Hermione used the floo network to return to her new home, only to find Severus talking to Minerva in the small sitting room. "Headmistress! What a surprise!" she exclaimed.

Minerva looked at Hermione's lack of attire with a stern glint in her eyes. "The same to you, Madame Snape. I certainly hope you were not parading around the school in just that bathrobe."

Hermione's face flushed with embarrassment. Shit, she thought. I forgot I had it on. "Well, I had to go to the Gryffindor tower for a moment. And then I used the floo to get back here. There was no other student in the hallway but me."

"Was Potter and Weasley around?" asked her husband with an arched eyebrow. He certainly did not want his wife to walk the halls of Hogwarts in just a bathrobe, but for her to wear just a bathrobe in front of two students he barely tolerated made his blood boiled.

He watched his wife swallow the thick lump of fear in her throat. Knowing the answer he received, he silenced her with his hand and added in a low growl, "I hope you were smart enough not to be near them for so long during your little trip to your beloved common room."

"I wasn't with them the entire time," Hermione answered, sticking her chin out defiantly. "I spent most of my visit talking to Ginny instead." Her expression did not change as she saw her husband nostrils flaring in anger.

Minerva looked at her Potions Master, and then quickly looked at her student, sensing tension looming in the air. "I am sorry to cut our little meeting short, but I do have some business to attend to," she lied. "Severus, Hermione, I wish you two the best of luck and I expect to see you later this afternoon." She hastily ran to the door and left the Snapes' quarters, rushing down the staircase to escape Severus' furious wrath.

"Foolish girl," she murmured. "She should not have done that."

Severus, on the other hand, was barely able to control himself from slapping his wife. It took all his will to still his right hand at his side. Instead, he clenched his fist and stalked toward Hermione, who was frightened as she saw anger burning in his black eyes. "You stupid girl," he hissed. "When I said you could visit your friends, I thought you would be smart enough to change into something decent!"

"I forgot!" she countered. "I wasn't thinking –"

"You mean to tell me you were not using that marvelous brain of yours for once?" he asked.

"Just listen to me! I needed to see my friends right away! I was too upset, Severus; I needed someone from my peers to comfort me, especially a girl like Ginny! Don't you understand that?"

Hermione hung her head, trying to hide her tears from her angry husband. She knew crying would not calm his fury down, but she too was furious but also stressed. Her life had taken quite a huge toll on her: her first year back at school after the war, an arranged marriage to the school's most hated professor, and now a future that could only mean nothing but hell to her.

Severus, however, could not stay angry with the girl any longer. He wrapped his around his wife and hugged her. "I am sorry," he said quietly. "I should have not yelled at you like that." He rubbed his hooked nose into her bushy hair, taking in her scent. He was starting to have the first stirring of arousal in his loins, but he knew he had no time for a round of his first make-up sex.

With a tear-stained face, Hermione looked up at her sour husband, shocked and surprised for a brief moment. "Did you say what I thought you said?" she asked.

"What did I say?" he asked with a small smirk.

"You apologized to me!"

"Perhaps I did, and perhaps I did not." His smirk grew wider as he placed a kiss on her forehead. "Now, my dear, why don't you get out of that blasted robe, wash up, and get fully dressed so we can eat some lunch and talk about our plans for the rest of the day."

"Plans?" asked Hermione.

"Yes, plans," he replied coolly. "We have to take a trip to London and investigate the death of Mr. Scrimgeour. After all, we were the last ones to see him."

Hermione nodded her head, understanding of what they would have to do that afternoon. "I promise not to take a long shower," she said, turning on her heel and walking to the master bathroom. When she reached the door, she turned to her husband and asked, "Do you need to take one as well, Mr. Snape?"

"Is this an invitation to invade your privacy, Madame Snape?" Severus asked, trying to ignore his growing erection in his trousers.

"Perhaps."

"Then I must say I am afraid to turn down your invite, but I will accept the next time you offer a chance to share your shower with a man like me." He slowly approached her with lustful eyes peer down her. "I am afraid time is running short for us, and although I would love to enjoy a moment of… Intimacy… With you, I would lose all control of myself and say 'sod off' to our trip. But I believe I hear my shower calling your name, and we must not haste yet we must not be as slow as a caterpillar." He pushed Hermione into the bathroom and quickly shut the door before she could protest.

"I will have sandwiches available when you are finished, Hermione!" he called.

Hermione simply crossed her arms over her chest and huffed. She vowed to herself that she would get even with him one day. "Yes, but I bet you didn't take a shower this morning!"

"Oh, I did, my dear, while you were dead to the world until you heard a few choice of words from me hours later. Now, hurry up so we can eat!"

The brown-haired witch sighed as she gave into her husband's order. She turned on the taps and let the water become a warm temperature she could tolerate. The green robe fell at her feet, and she climbed into the giant tub, relaxing her head on the edge.

She laid there as the water began to rise over her body, thinking about how her life was going to be from that moment on. She had already found herself in a shouting match with Severus, and they were not even married for twenty-four hours! She also found herself crying quite a bit since the night before. She wanted to blame Severus for her problems, but she silently admitted to herself that she was also responsible for her actions that would cause him rip a new ass out of her, only to make her cry in the end.

But there is no love between us, she thought as she drew her knees up to her chin. She winced at the pain between her thighs, a reminder of the pain she felt on her wedding night. Maybe I should seek Madame Pomfrey and let her look at these bruises. That or I could ask Severus for a potion that would make them go away.

As if he had read her thoughts, she jumped at the sound of the Potions Master knocking on the bathroom door. "Hermione," he said from the other side, "are you okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine," she answered, drawing her knees closer to her body.

"Do you mind if I come in?"

A blush crept over her face, and she mentally scolded herself for it. He has already seen you, 'Mione, chided her inner voice. Let him see the damage he had caused. "No, not at all. The door is unlocked."

Severus peered his head into the room and found his wife sitting in a tub of warm water, her hair still dry and still untouched. He bit his lower lip for he knew she was too busy contemplating about something. "Something's troubling you," he said.

Hermione nodded her head. She remained silent as she watched the tall, dark wizard knelt down next to her. "Do you want to talk about it?" he asked.

Before she was able to answer, she felt him pull her onto her feet and heard him curse under his breath. "Merlin!" he exclaimed. "Did I do that to you last night?"

_What you gave to me_

_My perfect ring of scars_

_You know I can see what you really are_

She watched his dark gaze scan her body up and down with a worried look on his face. "There's nothing to worry about, Severus. Honestly," she said. "I mean my thighs hurt just a bit, but I read it is only natural for a woman to feel tender after a night of sex."

He smirked. That's my wife, he thought. Always reading a book for the answer to her every question. "Yes, well, I am sure no woman had a night like yours, my dear. But do not worry – you will become more experienced, and I will be considerate when I have my way with you unless you want me to take you roughly. Do you need a potion that will soothe your pain?"

Hermione shook her head. "I think I can deal with this."

"Hermione, you are lying again."

She looked at her husband and found him arching an eyebrow. "Were you reading my mind?"

"No, but I can tell when you lie and when you tell the truth." Using wandless magic, he summoned an emerald green towel with a golden snake into his hands and wrapped Hermione in it. "Stay here," he said. "I will be back with the Morning After Potion."

_You didn't hurt me_

_Nothing can hurt me_

_You didn't hurt me_

_Nothing can stop me now_

When he walked briskly out of the bathroom, Hermione sighed and reached for her wand that was in the inside pocket of her bathrobe. She transfigured the towel from green to red, replacing the snake with a lion. "That's more like it," she said with a small smile.

Moments later with the desired potion in his hand, Severus found what she had done to one of his favorite towels, shaking his head and rolling his eyes in disgust. "Bloody Gryffindors," he growled.

Yay! Chapter 14 is done, and so is this story until I have time to add more to it! Don't forget to read and review!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	15. Ch 15: Right Where It Belongs, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

Holy cow! Chapter 15 already? I'm… surprised. I'm… flattered. I'm… almost running out of ideas! This is the longest story I have EVER written! And I'm not even halfway done!

I am going to try and upload more chapters this summer. I am going to be living with a family in the town where I work (which is like 20+ miles away from my driveway, and gas prices are very high at the moment) until the end of the month. After that, I'm either going to be in an apartment with some friends until August or back at home for the rest of my summer vacation. But I do plan to have some time set aside to work on this story.

Chapter 15: Right Where It Belongs, pt. 1

Lunch was light and very fast for Severus and Hermione. The Potions Master quickly shrugged off his wife's playful trick in the bathroom, although he swore he would make her pay as long as her back was turned. Hermione promised she would ask Fred and George Weasley for a potion to make eyes in the back of her head if he ever tried to transfigure anything of her belongings that represented her house.

Severus never breathed another word about the topic again.

Because of Hermione's confession regarding to her fear of riding a broom and because there was little time left, the newlywed couple decided to Apparate to the Ministry of Magic headquarters in London. They appeared in the lobby of the main office, taking note of their surroundings upon arrival.

The secretary who had found the body of Rufus Scrimgeour was being questioned by several representatives from the Wizengamot, still under pressure and traumatized from her discovery that morning.

"Poor thing," whispered Hermione under her breath.

"Poor thing indeed," added Severus. "To find her employer dead in his office is such a tragedy, especially if one is still new to the job."

"When did she get hired?"

"Just a few weeks ago."

Severus led his wife toward the scene of the crime, walking down the hallway full of Aurors, reporters, and other wizards who worked with Rufus outside of the Ministry. As they walked past them, they heard several whispers being said among small groups.

"He's a former Death Eater! He might have helped plot the whole thing since he did marry the girl!"

"Smartest witch of her age? If she was smart as they say, she would have not married this man!"

"Their marriage is the cause of Rufus' death."

"She could have done better."

Hermione whirled around and glared at the wizards and witches who were talking behind her back, but before she could reprimand them for their gossiping, she felt the sallow hand of her husband rest on her right shoulder. She knew he was stopping her from getting herself into more hot water; she certainly did not want to be burned by her actions.

The questioning couple continued down the hallway until they found their destination: the office of the Minister for Magic. The room was crowded with more magical authority figures. There were also other familiar faces from the Ministry, including Percy Weasley.

"Percy! What are you doing here?" asked Hermione, giving her friends' older brother a hug.

The tall redhead man, who almost could have been mistaken for a younger Arthur Weasley, frowned as he coldly gave her a hug in return, still feeling sour toward not only her but also her friends who associated themselves with his family. "Hermione, say it is not true," pleaded the former Prefect. "Say you did not marry my old professor. Say this is all nothing more than a nightmare."

As Hermione drew back, his blue eyes rested on her left hand, particularly her ring finger. He sighed in disappointment. "I must be awake," he breathed. "I am not dreaming."

"Percy, what is done is done," said Hermione.

"How did my temperamental brother take the news?"

"Ronald was not happy when I chose Severus over him."

"And Harry?"

Hermione frowned even more as she recalled the memory of the events from the previous night. "I think you know how he would react to such news, especially if my husband was involved," she said bitterly.

Percy's eyes shot toward Severus who was holding his wife's right hand, his black eyes glaring at his former student. "This is all your fault, sir," he growled.

"I had nothing to do with Mr. Scrimgeour's death," sneered Severus.

_See the animal in his cage that you built_

_Are you sure what side you're on?_

"I would like to believe otherwise, especially since He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named has returned. After all, Mr. Scrimgeour died in the hands of Death Eaters." Percy looked at the body on the bloodstained desk, hidden underneath a white cloth. "Were you called back to him the night he was revived, sir?"

"Yes. I watched him come back to life."

"Then why did you not inform the Ministry?"

_Better not look him too closely in the eye_

_Are you sure what side of the glass you are on?_

Severus clenched his right fist, trying to calm the storm ragging inside his soul. "I informed the Order," he said through clenched teeth. "Is that good enough?"

"No!" yelled Percy. "We have the right to know the whereabouts of the Death Eaters as well! In the wizarding caste system, the Order is below in the Ministry!"

"I am fully aware of the caste system, Mr. Weasley!"

"You told the Order, or at least the Headmistress at Hogwarts, assuming she would inform the Ministry about this mess! I did not know about the Death Eaters until this morning when I was owled to come into this very room! And you call yourself a spy! This could have been prevented if you had informed us about _his_ return!

"And I assume the Marriage Law joke was part of the plan, am I not right?"

"I never knew about the Marriage Law until it had been issued!" bellowed Severus.

"It was issued by a man, a high-ranked Death Eater, who was set free by those who continued to follow Tom Riddle after he was destroyed by Potter last year. Surely, you must have heard it from someone in your little circle."

"That is enough!" scolded Hermione. Everyone in the room shifted their attention to the young woman who was standing beside Severus. "Percy, give my husband a chance to explain himself."

"I don't think I can do that, Hermione," replied Percy. "Why trust a man who was convicted of murder, only to be let off the hook thanks to the Pensive that was provided by the wizard, his mentor, whom he killed during a Death Eater raid in the school?"

_See the safety of the life you have built_

_Everything where it belongs_

"Percy, please," begged the witch with sad brown eyes. "Listen to him."

The redhead sighed and nodded in agreement. "Fine," he muttered. "Tell me when was the last time you were called to a Death Eater meeting and give me every single detail about your visit, Professor."

"I was summoned a few weeks ago when I had to witness Lucius Malfoy reviving… _him_," answered Severus. "That was the same night Narcissa Malfoy was murdered and her husband disappeared until the day the Marriage Law was approved by the Ministry of Magic. That was the last time I heard of any suspicious activity from any Death Eater up until I received the news this morning."

"So, as the Muggles would say, your companions have been 'under the radar?'" asked Percy.

"You could say that, Mr. Weasley. That is why had little to report, save the revival of the Dark Lord and Mrs. Malfoy's death."

"But that report could have been proven useful if you did the right thing, Professor!" argued Percy. "A vast majority of students at Hogwarts do not know how to handle such crisis! You depended on three particular students for the past seven years, including one who chose to marry you somewhat against her will! The other children do not know what to do during a Death Eater attack! Sixth and seventh years will not cut it. You put the future of our world into danger and such great risk! We have trained professionals, Professor! We can teach the older students, but we can also help you fight against this evil!

"This is your fault, sir. You could have saved a life, but your carelessness allowed this tragedy to happen. Because of you, we cannot continue the Ministry until we find a replacement! I certainly hope you are happy. You can tell your Death Eater friends to watch their backs. We will find those who are responsible for the murder of Rufus Scrimgeour." Percy glanced at Hermione and added, "I am sorry, Hermione, you got yourself tangled in this mess. It would have been better if you had chose Lucius Malfoy, your first suitor. But as you said, what has been done is done. I wish you and your husband a good day and the best of luck."

_Feel the hollowness inside your heart_

_And it's all… right where it belongs_

Watching the older Weasley offspring stormed pass them, Hermione hung her head. She felt Severus' hand slip out of her grip and glanced at him for a moment, observing the Potions Master as he lifted up the white sheet that covered the body of Minister for Magic. Rufus was bruised, his eyes wide open, a sign that he was greeted with an Unforgivable.

"Victim of gang rape and torture," murmured Severus. "There was definitely more than one person behind this act."

"We know Malfoy was responsible," said Hermione. "But who could have also done such thing?"

"There are the fathers of Crabbe and Goyle, and Lestrange, Bellatrix's husband. Rodolphus always had a sick twisted mind when torturing men. Sometimes I think he leans more toward the masculine homosexual side than heterosexual." Severus smirked and snorted at the thought. "It is no wonder Bella is the most sexually deprived witch in the inner circle. I do not think her own husband performs his martial duty as much as she does. Malfoy, on the other hand, would have most likely used the killing curse after watching those men torture of Scrimgeour."

Hermione felt her stomach churned at the thought of the Minister for Magic being raped anally by a group of perverted middle-aged wizards with the Dark Mark on their arms. She was thankful Severus did not partake in such activity.

But last night was no different, said her inner voice.

After performing a thorough inspection, Severus took the white cloth and covered the body. "He was a good man," he said aloud. "Such a pity, though, his life had to end like this."

_What if everything around you_

_Isn't quite as it seems?_

Taking his wife by the hand, he walked out of the room, only to catch a glimpse of the bill that was written the previous night, signed with the harsh handwriting and stained with the blood of its writer. Next to it was the pouch of money that was offered to him to abolish the cursed Marriage Law.

The return to Hogwarts was quiet for the newlywed couple. Hermione spent most of her time in Severus' library in one of his private studies, reading several books that caught her eye. She was fascinated with his mixture of wizarding and Muggle writers, including Shakespeare and Poe. She was bound and determined to escape from cruel reality of the world she was now living through the pages of the books she took from the shelves.

_What if all the world you think you know_

_Is an elaborate dream?_

Severus, on the other hand, kept himself busy with the papers he swore he would grade after his wedding. He shut himself from the outside world, including his ever-studious wife, in his office in the dungeons. He also had to restock his potions cabinet with a few more vials of Wolfsbane.

As he graded the essays from his third year Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw class, he heard a knock on the door. Please, Merlin, let it be at least Hermione, he prayed to himself. "Enter," he said.

To his dismay, it was not his wife, but rather The-Boy-Who-Lived-to-Make-His-Life-a-Living-Hell. "Snape, we need to talk," said Harry, his voice filled with bitterness.

"Mr. Potter, can you not see I am busy at the present moment?" sneered Severus. "After all, if this is about my marriage to one-third of Minerva's beloved Golden Trio, I highly suggest you leave right now."

"It is not about Hermione, sir. It is about _you_."

Sighing in defeat, Severus laid his quill aside and clasped his hands together on his desk. "Fine. Talk, boy."

"How can I trust that you are working for the Order and not for Voldemort?" asked Harry. "The Marriage Law was suggested by a Death Eater – Malfoy's father of all people! Hermione chose you over him, and yet the Minister for Magic ended up dead by the hands of several of Voldemort's followers because Malfoy did not get what he wanted! Was the murder of the Minister part of the master plan?"

"Mr. Potter, I can assure you that as long Hermione had the right to choose her husband from the list of petitioners, Scrimgeour was most likely going to die," replied Severus coolly.

"And you allowed this to happen?"

"I did not expect the Minister to disappear into thin air the moment he left the Headmistress' office last night!" snapped Severus. "I felt a strange presence on the other side of the door, accompanied by a group of snakes hissing in my ears. But I had little time to get from Point A to Point B within a matter of seconds!"

"If you knew this would happen, you should have had Hermione to ask Ron and me to guard the door! " cried Harry. "That way we could protected the Minister!"

"But the Death Eaters would follow him until he was finally alone and away from Hogwarts," countered Severus. "You failed to see that realization."

"If only you allowed Ron or I –" began Harry.

"If I allowed you or Mr. Weasley to marry my wife, you would have opened the door of opportunity and allowed more Death Eater raids into the school, especially if she married you!" interrupted Severus. "You are a wanted man to the inner circle, Mr. Potter, and you have not finished your schooling. I highly suggest you start focusing on how you will defeat Voldemort this time around and spend less time thinking questions that begin with 'what if.' Do you understand me, Potter?"

The noble Gryffindor nodded his dark head in agreement, but his green eyes filled with anger opposed the idea. "But wouldn't Hermione be in more trouble now that she is tied to you?"

The Potions Master lowered his head and answered, "She cannot be touched by Voldemort now that she belongs to me, but I fear you may be right in any case. I, on the other hand, have not been summoned yet, and I will not doubt the fact that I might come back to the premises broken and severely injured after what I have done last night."

"Would Voldemort cast an Unforgivable on you?" asked Harry.

"Never. He still needs to use me to get information from the school. On the other hand, the _Avada Kedavra_ would take out so much pleasure through one hex. I know Voldemort like I know myself, Mr. Potter – he likes to torture others before he finishes them off. His followers have been trained to do the same, something similar to last night's events in the headquarters for the Ministry of Magic."

Pushing aside his graded papers and shrinking the parchments that were yet to be examined into pocket sized pieces, Severus took everything he needed for the remainder of the night and stuffed them into the outer pocket of his frock coat. "Now if you will excuse me, Mr. Potter, I must attend to my wife and finish my unfinished business before I do my nightly rounds." Severus pushed the boy out of the office, only to add his final thought before slamming the door shut. "Do not run around the castle past midnight, or there will be serious consequences in your future."

Harry sighed as he felt the breeze of the hard door hit him in the face as the Potions Master dismissed him for the evening. "Take good care of 'Mione, Snape," he muttered.

As Severus stepped out of the floo network from his fireplace, he noticed his wife sitting on the couch reading his favorite collection of Poe's poetry. Her brown eyes glanced above the pages, acknowledging the presence of her snarky husband. "Finished so soon?" she asked. "I was expecting you to be home in half an hour."

"I had some _company_," replied Severus dryly.

"Is the _Daily Prophet_ still bothering you?"

"The press is not much of a pest compared to an particular entity that resides in your particular tower."

Hermione glared at Severus, her eyes shooting daggers at him. "Harry is not a pest, Severus!" she said through gritted teeth. "You're just jealous that he has all the fame and you don't!"

_And if you look at your reflection_

_Is it all you want it to be?_

Severus whirled around to face his wife with a sneer plastered on his face. "That boy did not like me from the beginning seven years ago, and he challenges me and my motives almost every day!" he said.

"He has every right to do so," retorted Hermione, "especially since you killed Dumbledore, despite of being ordered by the Headmaster."

The Potions Master could feel his anger rising to a boil. Who does she think she is, he thought. He stalked toward her like a panther, almost slithering like a snake, and snatched the book out of her hands, absent-mindedly tossing it into the roaring fireplace. Grabbing the small wrists of his fearful wife, he yanked Hermione toward him until they were facing eye to eye. "Never _ever_ speak of that incident again!" he hissed.

Hermione quickly nodded her head, only to glance at the burning book in the fireplace. "But the book!" she protested. "That's your favorite copy!"

"Oh bloody hell!" cursed Severus. Casting a charm to prevent his hand from being burned by the hot orange flames, he reached into the fire and swiped the book from its fiery doom, only to be covered in ashes and soot. He took his wand and restored it back to its original condition.

He handed his wife the hardback copy, but he was not nice about the giving part. "If you ever breathe another word about what happened, I might not be the nice guy next time."

Hermione took the book and said, "I promise it will not happen again, Severus." She tucked a strand of curly brown hair behind her ear and asked, "If I may ask you something, will you promise not to get angry at me?"

Severus thought about her proposition and replied, "I will do my best not to become ugly about this question of yours, but you may ask me anything."

"Why did Harry visit you tonight?"

She watched her husband glowered, knowing she should have kept her nose out of his business. But Severus sighed resentfully and proceeded to answer the question. "As I said before, he questioned about my motives. In other words, he wanted to know if I was siding with the Order or with Voldemort."

"And which side are you on, Severus?" asked Hermione.

_What if you could look right through the cracks_

_Would you find yourself…_

"I am on whichever side you are on, my dear," answered Severus. He watched his wife's eyes fill up with happiness and joy, a confirmation of her choice of the matter. "Potter has the same belief that Mr. Percy Weasley does regarding to our marriage."

"You mean if I married Lucius, this would not have happened, right?"

"So it would seem," said Severus. "But you would probably be used as bait for Potter. That is the difference between my 'old friend' and I – he likes to give his women to the Dark Lord, whereas I do not like to share."

"Do you mean to tell me that Voldemort had… some fun with Narcissa?" asked Hermione, shuddering at the thought of the slimy evil creature touching the skin of a beautiful yet cruel witch like Narcissa Malfoy.

"Of course, Madame Snape," replied Severus. "How else did you think she would receive self-gratification while her beloved Lucius was locked up in Azkaban?"

"Well, through you."

Severus raised an eyebrow at his wife in disgust. "I had no sexual relationships with that woman and I promise you I would have killed or perhaps castrated myself before I even dared to touch her or her sister Bellatrix for that matter. I refuse to become involved with those women, considering their family tree included the 'black sheep' of the family."

Hermione snorted, understanding the hidden meaning behind his snide remark. Here we go again, she thought. Insulting the Marauders and anyone associated with Harry's family, including Sirius.

"But in any case," continued Severus, "you have nothing to fear. I promise you I will not give you to the Dark Lord under any circumstances. However, if he likes this little… arrangement," he said, pausing to taste the word that had slipped onto his tongue, "you might be asked to join the high ranks, despite of your unfortunate heritage."

Hermione's brown eyes grew large with fear. "You mean to tell me that I could become a Death Eater?"

"Of course," answered the Potions Master with a smirk on his harsh face. "Better yet, the Order could always use another spy."

_Find yourself afraid to see?_

The witch lowered her gaze, thinking about how much danger she would put herself, her husband, and her loved ones – including her parents – through if she decided to take the Dark Mark. "I do not know if I could do such a thing, Severus."

"Then do not worry about it," said Severus. "I could always tell the Dark Lord that although we are married to each other, you are my personal slave because you are a Muggle-born and that you were foolish to pick me over your friends."

"What if he does not believe you?" asked Hermione.

"Let us just hope that he does." Just as he leaned down to give her a kiss on her lips, he quickly pulled away from her, hissing in pain and gripping his left arm tightly. "No! Not now!" he cried out. He fell onto his knees, seething in anger.

Hermione rushed to his side and unbuttoned the left sleeve of his frock coat, only to reveal the Dark Mark glowing brightly. "Is he summoning you?" she asked.

"Yes," replied her husband hoarsely. "I must go, Hermione."

"Where to?"

"Wherever he needs me. I fear I must go to the Forbidden Forest to meet him." He stood on his two feet but continued to clutch his left forearm in a tight grip. "Go fetch me my robes and mask," he told his wife. "They are in the closet of our bedroom. You will not miss them. Hurry!"

Hermione rushed to their bedroom and threw open the closet doors, snatching the Death Eater robe and mask off of a hanger that stood out in the middle of the rack. She helped dressed Severus at a fast pace and begged him to come home safe. "Please do not let him kill you," she said.

Severus slipped on the mask over his face and replied, "I hope he will believe my story. Goodbye, Madame Snape." He kissed her forehead and grabbed a handful of floo powder from the jar on the mantle of the fireplace. "Forbidden Forest!" he called as he stepped into the green flames and disappeared in a flash.

Hermione, on the other hand, sat on the couch and buried her face into her hands. "What have I gotten myself into?" she sighed.

That's all she wrote… For now. You know what to do. I know what to do. I say let's call it a night, though.

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	16. Ch 16: Head Like a Hole, 2

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

So, last month was crazy. My computer decided to crash, but now it is fixed. I ended up moving back home to my parents' house where we have freaking dial-up, but now I am back at college and ready to update like crazy! And I have been buying more Nine Inch Nails albums from right to left. You do know what that means, right? More chapters! Yay!

Chapter 16: Head Like a Hole, pt. 2

For many years, Hogwarts students were unaware of a secret floo network that included a deserted location in the depths of the Forbidden Forest. Only Heads of Houses and the Head Boy and the Head Girl knew about its existence. One could describe it as a hidden wall within a labyrinth, if one could describe the matrix of the floo network: nothing more than a magical labyrinth in the castle.

Dressed in his black Death Eater robes, Severus Snape walked through the cold woods that winter night, his wand in his hand at his side. He could sense the presence of his master – or his least favorite master, that is – approximately 450 paces away from his spot, but even if the estimate was so, he felt something was not right.

It was not like Voldemort to summon him into the Forbidden Forest on a quiet and peaceful night. There was no distant chattering among his followers, there was no light from a bonfire ahead, and there was not a scream of bloody murder that filled the sky with fright.

Instead it was too quiet for Voldemort. It was though as if he simply wanted to have a private meeting with one of his followers from the inner circle. Severus continued on the path to his destination until he stopped dead in his tracks to see another Death Eater in the forest.

Lucius Malfoy.

_Head like a hole_

_Black as your soul_

_I'd rather die_

_Than give you control_

The blonde wizard's silver eyes glinted in amusement as he turned around to see Severus' expression of anger on his harsh face. "Severus, my old friend, what a pleasure to see you here!" he greeted.

"Quite certainly, 'old friend,'" said Severus coolly. "Have you seen the Dark Lord?"

"Minutes before you arrived," replied Lucius. "Wormtail called him for a brief moment, but our master has given me the task of interrogating you and your loyalty, Severus."

Severus took a deep breath, knowing that there would surely be a question about his motives toward his marriage with Hermione. "Still bitter about not marrying the brightest witch of her age?" he asked, raising an arched eyebrow.

"Hardly," scoffed Lucius. "I figured that I had no chance with the girl after I learned that Hogwarts' favorite hero and his companion requested her hand in marriage, and I did not take Draco's petition for the Mudblood lightly because I felt he would use her for his own personal pleasure."

The Potions Master found himself to be unimpressed with the response he had received. "And what of your motives?"

The blonde wizard smirked. "I thought she would be useful to our advantage since she has ties with her filthy race and with that bumbling group known as the Order," he replied. "Perhaps she can prove to me that not all Mudbloods are alike. Perhaps they are special to the wizarding world, like that Evans girl who became the mother of the Potter brat you have taught for several years."

Severus tried his best not to grimace at the name of his schoolboy crush, but his scowl only encouraged Lucius to egg him on even more. "My, my, my, old friend. You still do have feelings for her, even though our beloved master took her to her grave a little too soon years ago. And just what do you find in your wife? A reflection of Lily Evans?"

"That is enough, Malfoy!" barked Severus, pointing his wand directly at Lucius. "I did not come here to relive a memory I wish to forget! I came here to talk to the Dark Lord! Where is he?"

"As I have said before, Severus," answered Lucius, "he is away and I am here instead."

"Then give me one good fucking reason why I should believe you!"

"Fine then. How else could you sense his presence in this spot from hundreds of paces away, only to find that he is gone and I am here by coincidence? Besides, we had our own little meeting before you were summoned. Just consider yourself 'next in line.'"

"What did he ask from you?"

"The blasted Marriage Law that you managed to manipulate behind my back!" snarled Lucius. "Had you decided not to put your name on the Mudblood's list of petitioners, I know for a fact she would have chosen me over her friends if she knew what was best for her! After all, she does not play favorites among her peers and her little group of friends, does she, Severus?"

"My wife treats them all the same indeed," replied Severus.

"Then she would not have put Mr. Potter or Mr. Weasley above the other, would she? And Draco? Well, what could I say about the boy? He might be her age, but the apple does not fall far from the tree, does it?"

"No, it does not."

"But you! Why did you want to marry her, old friend?"

Severus glowered, knowing that he would meet his fate if one of Voldemort's right hand men heard the truth behind his action. "I truly had no choice but to enlist myself onto her petition," he lied. "The Order thought she would be safe under my care."

"Fools," chuckled Lucius. "They never seem to learn not to trust their own kind, do they? They gave you a chance at redemption, not knowing the crime you would commit in the years to come. And they allowed history to repeat itself. How ironic indeed.

"It appears that your loyalties have not changed at all after your trial, Severus, despite of your current situation. Maybe your marriage to the Mudblood Granger will prove itself to be useful for us, not only to find Potter's weak point but also to learn more about Muggles."

Lucius walked past Severus, their shoulders touching each other as he left. He stopped in his tracks and asked with a smirk on his handsome face, "One more thing, old friend. Did you break her in on the wedding night like a true Death Eater – hard, rough and satisfying?"

Severus sighed as the memories of the previous night rushed through his head. Will he ever learn, he thought. "It was… tolerable. She was a virgin, Lucius. I assume you know how they feel in bed."

"Believe me, I do. Such a pity, though. She saved it for you at the wrong place and at the wrong time. Tsk tsk."

As he heard the blonde wizard Disapparate into the darkness, Severus began to retreat back to the hidden floo network in the Forbidden Forest until he heard the sound of footprints breaking frozen twigs on the ground in half. Hoping it was a student behind him, Severus whirled around on his heel and pointed his wand at his intruder, who was a female Death Eater hidden under her robes.

His eyes shrunk into slits of anger as the stranger revealed her identity. "Bellatrix, why are you here? To play a game with me?" he seethed.

Bellatrix Lestrange, a pale witch with long black hair and a relative of the late Sirius Black, smiled with her white teeth flashing in the moonlight. "So, it is true then," she giggled. "You did marry the Mudblood of the Golden Trio."

"I had no choice! I had fallen prey to the bloody Marriage Law that Lucius proposed!"

"But to her of all Mudbloods? You could have done better, Severus. You really could have."

With his fist clenching onto his wand tightly, Severus began to cast a spell on her, but Bellatrix got to him first with a hex, paralyzing the Potions Master as he fell onto his knees. "You have no right to do that, Bella!" he hissed through clenched teeth.

"Oh, I do, Severus," taunted the witch. "You should have asked for another Mudblood and left the girl to Lucius! The Minister for Magic would have been alive had Granger chose Lucius over you!"

"Must you have to agree with that brownnoser for a grown ferret all the time?"

Bellatrix grabbed Severus by his hair and forced him to look into her black eyes. "That brownnoser you speak of does not forget the purpose of this group of wizards and witches, Severus. You seem to forget that so often. The girl and her family could have been dead by now, but you had to ruin our plans to get even with Potter! Do you know how angry our master was when he heard the news? The Minister was supposed to make sure no one but Lucius married Granger! He deserved what he had coming!

"But I shall not spend the rest of my night talking about this new life of yours. I am sorry to hear about your marriage and I am sorry I could not attend the ceremony, though I was not invited like you promised years ago. Therefore, I shall leave you with my wedding gift to you, Severus." She cast another hex at her comrade and took a step back from the scene, allowing the other Death Eaters, including her husband Rodolphus, to come out of hiding and torture him with more hexes until he could not stand any longer. He felt the power behind the hexes flow through his body, but the power was not of pleasure. It was of pain and agony.

The last thing he saw before the darkness consumed him was seeing Bellatrix laughing at him in glee.

He had prayed to whichever deity that wanted to listen to his plea for help.

_Bow down before the one you serve_

_You're going to get what you deserve_

Dressed in her pajamas with Crookshanks on her lap, Hermione laid in the masters' bed while studying for her exam in Advanced Charms that following Monday afternoon. It was only Saturday night, going on eleven, and somewhere in the back of her mind, her inner voice began to chide, "He's not back yet, Hermione! This is taking forever."

She closed her textbook and took a deep sigh as she rested her head against her pillow in frustration. For the past hour, she found it difficult to study while worrying about her husband and his whereabouts.

Husband. She shook her head at the thought of that word. If someone told her during her first year at Hogwarts that she would be married to her dreaded Potions professor, they would never live to see the light of day after she was done hexing their life away. He was no Fabio in the Muggle world, nor was he Gilderoy Lockhart in the wizarding world. Greasy black hair that touched his shoulders, a crooked yet hooked nose, sallow complexion, yellow and abnormal teeth her parents would most likely fix upon seeing him, and black eyes that held no emotion for as long as she could remember. Mix the history of a snarky man who lived through a tumultuous childhood and through his current position in the Order, and that was Severus Tobias Snape, her husband who was old enough to be her father.

But there were some good traits that only she could see in him. He was brilliant and like her, he thirsted for knowledge as a student, especially information about potions and the dark arts. He might have appeared to be intimidating and cruel in the classroom to her and to her peers, with the exception of those in his house, but he began to treat her with… Well, she could not call it kindness. Kindness and Severus Snape were antonyms in her book. Perhaps pity would work. Yes, he treated her with pity, considering that he also did not want to get involved with the marriage law that had brought them together.

And he knew how to make you crave for him, her inner voice said with glee. Hermione had to unfortunately agree with her conscience for once. Severus knew more about her than herself. He was a good – no, that was not right – he was a great kisser and she knew that he could be a wonderful lover in bed.

That was when it hit her hard. She began to recall the previous night's activity. He did leave her bruised and sore, and she still carried his marks on her skin. He was rough, too rough for what she had imagined of a wedding night. He was right, 'Mione, she thought. He only fucked you; he did not make love to you.

But one vivid detail began to stick out like a sore thumb. "That git was still clothed!" she muttered. Severus never divested himself from his robes as if he was hiding something from her. She had imagined the man carried many scars over the years due to his service for Voldemort, but she pondered if he hid them from her out of embarrassment.

"Surely, he cannot be ugly," she said aloud.

Suddenly, the orange cat's ears perked up as he raised his head, sensing something was wrong. His yellow-green eyes scanned the room until they rested on the source of the strange presence. He hopped off of his mistress' lap and trotted to the fireplace, hissing at the fire that quickly turned into a shade of green.

Minerva's head appeared in the fire, her face appearing to be frantic and worried. "Mrs. Snape? Madame Snape? Hermione? Oh, whatever you go by these days, are you awake, my dear?"

"Yes, Headmistress," replied Hermione as she slipped into a bathrobe to cover herself from any indecent exposure. "I was waiting for Severus to return."

"There is no need to wait any longer, child. He is here in the infirmary."

The young witch's eyes widened in fear. "Infirmary!" she cried. " Oh Merlin! I was afraid this would happen! What's wrong? Is he okay?"

"He was found in the Forbidden Forest. Had Hagrid not been there looking for a few centaurs, your husband might have died from his injuries by morning."

"Injuries?"

"Was he not called to a Death Eater meeting?" asked Minerva impatiently.

"Well, yes, he was."

"So it would seem that He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named had something for Severus regarding to your marriage to him. However, it appears that his injuries came from more than one Death Eater. I fear Severus had taken quite a few blows and beatings from others.

"But because he is your husband, you need to come right away and take him back to your chambers!"

"But is Madame Pomfrey suppose to heal him?" asked Hermione.

"The last time Severus was in the infirmary, he was acting like a spoiled child, and our beloved nurse refused to work with him again by the time she was done with him. She said that if he wanted someone to heal him, he could get married to a witch who would be patient through his fits. I am afraid Madame Pomfrey is keeping her vow, and you are his wife. After all, dear, it is not like you have not seen what he looks like under his robes, or have you? Oh it does not matter now! You are married to him! Now start acting like a proper wife and help your husband!"

At once, Minerva's head disappeared behind the green flames and the fire returned to its normal orange color. Hermione grabbed Crookshanks and put him in the cat carrier cage Severus requested when he found out that the cat was moving into his private quarters along with his wife. "Don't you cause any mischief while I am gone," warned Hermione, "or I will make sure you will not get one of Severus' dead lab mice from the next failed potion he makes, if there is a way I can get to them."

Crookshanks did not make a sound in protest. Instead he watched the young Snape bride grab a handful of floo powder from the jar on the mantle of the fireplace and toss it into the flames, causing them to rise from their smoldering state. "Hogwarts Infirmary!" cried out Hermione as she walked into the flames and disappear in a flash of green light.

The orange cat sneezed and curled up into a ball. He hardly cared about his new master, but like any ordinary cat, he loved mice.

Perhaps this new master would not be so bad after all if the man had a heart like Hermione.

Hermione walked into the Infirmary with fear running through her blood. She found the gentle half-giant Hagrid standing next to Minerva's side by Severus' bed and talking to her about what he had found in the Forbidden Forest. "Snape wasn't breathin' and I was scared, 'eadmistress!" he quickly explained.

"You have done the right thing, Rubeus," assured Minerva. "Had he been found hours later, we could have been finding a replacement for his classes by now."

"Is Severus okay?" asked Hermione with uncertainty.

"He is resting, child. He will be fine," replied Minerva.

"Just make sure you give him the right amount of dosage for healing," instructed a rather frustrated Madame Pomfrey. She gave Hermione a basketful of potions that were used to rid Severus from his injuries in the past. "Read the instructions carefully, and he will be good as new."

"But what if he does not want to cooperate with me?" asked Hermione.

"You are his wife, Madame Snape! For all I care, you have every right to hex him out of his misery!" Madame Pomfrey threw her hands into the air and stormed out of the room in frustration.

Minerva cleared her throat and said, "Well, now that you are here to take your husband home with you, my work here is done for the night. I wish you two the best of luck, especially you, Hermione, and Hagrid, thank you for finding Severus tonight." She followed Madame Pomfrey out of the room, leaving Hermione with an unconscious Severus Snape and a worried Hagrid.

Hermione pulled Severus off his bed and propped his limp body against hers for support. "He is so heavy!" grunted Hermione.

"Are yer sure you don't need any 'elp, 'ermione?" asked Hagrid.

"I just need to use the floo. I got it taken care of. Thanks for your help, Hagrid" She slowly dragged herself to the fireplace in the room and borrowed its floo power from the mantle. After calling out her destination – their private chambers – the witch and the wizard in her left arm disappeared behind green flames.

Hagrid sighed and shook his head. "She should 'ave just stick with Lucius Malfoy," he said. "This would 'ave never 'appened. But I 'ope she made the right decision for 'er sake."

As soon as she pulled herself away from the fireplace in the living room, Hermione used what was left of her strength to get to the bedroom, tossing her husband onto their bed. He was slowly regaining consciousness, grumbling about the pain that was spreading throughout his body. "Fucking hell," he hissed.

"That was where you were about to go," muttered Hermione. She pulled him onto his stomach but realized she probably made his situation even worse.

"Damn you, witch! That hurts! Be careful next time, foolish girl!" he barked.

"No wonder Madame Pomfrey gave up on healing you after all these years!" Hermione pointed her wand at the open adjoining bathroom and cried out, "_Accio_ basin of water and washcloth!"

The two objects floated to the master bedroom and placed themselves on the empty bedside table. The witch turned to the angry Potions Master and prayed to the deities above for forgiveness. "He is going to murder me for this," she muttered. "I just know he will. _Divesto_!"

Severus felt his Death Eaters robes, his black frock coat, and his white linen shirt disappear at his wife's command, leaving him in his boots and black trousers. He heard a sharp intake of breath from her lips as she found scar after scar on his exposed sallow skin. "Like what you see, wife?" he growled.

"Severus, where did you get all these scars?" asked Hermione. "They surely cannot be just from _him_!"

"Insufferable know-it-all," he muttered. "Before coming to Hogwarts, I had several scars from the bastard who dared to call himself my father. I would assume you know where the rest came from." He did not continue with his story for he knew where exactly each scar came from: one-third belonged to the hand of his late father, another third came from his service with the Death Eaters, and the final third came from himself, especially on his marked arm.

"I am sorry to hear that," said Hermione. "I know you have done so much for the Order as a spy for both parties, but I never knew about your childhood." She grabbed the washcloth and soaked it in the water basin, wringing the excess of water out of it and placing the tip of her cloth-covered finger on a recent long lash across her husband's spine. "What was your father like?"

"A bastard and a complete arsehole," hissed Severus in pain. " My father was a Muggle. He never knew my mother was a witch when they first met and still did not when they married."

"When did he find out?"

"After I was born and old enough to be taught simple spells. I learned from Mother in secret since, as you would know, being a witch or a wizard in the Muggle society is a taboo. People thought of her as a strange woman after she left Hogwarts, and I was no different when they met me for the first time. But I was ridiculed for not only my strange aura but also for my appearance."

"Why?" asked Hermione as she cleaned the dried blood that covered a lash, this time across his right shoulder blade and earning herself another seething sound from her husband. "There is nothing terribly wrong with the way you look, despite of a few flaws."

"Because I had my mother's good looks with the exception of my father's cursed nose. And my family was quite poor we could barely afford food. We paid our bills on time, but we had limits on everything, including running water."

"That would explain why everyone thinks of you as the 'Greasy Git.'"

"Precisely, Madame Snape. I did not have the best hygiene in the world, and still to this day, I prefer to keep my greasy demeanor since I first came to Hogwarts. I take pleasure in intimidating my students, Slytherin or not.

"But in any case, when my father found my mother with a wand in her hand and teaching me these spells, he lost his mind. Mother's wand was snapped in half, and she was forced to live the rest of her life as a Muggle. Father found her to be such a beautiful but evil creature and took his anger out on her with his hands.

"Then one night, when I was only seven years old, he came home with a paper bag from the nearby liquor store down the street from our house. He decided to become an alcoholic to get away from the reality he was living in. Night after night, he would drink himself away after spending much of his weekly income at the liquor store, and he would drink every bit of alcohol in each bottle until it was completely dried. And then, he would call Mother from where she was to tend him. But he did not need tending each time; he needed to release his anger in his drunken stupor. So, my mother became his punching bag.

"I watched him beat her every night from the corner in the room, and I have heard her screams and cries for help until he finally passed out. Sometimes I even hid in the pantry and watched from the cracks in the door so he would not come after me. But he did no matter where I was."

Saddened by his story, Hermione set the washcloth aside and dried off his back with her robe. "Did he abuse you too?" she asked, although she knew the answer quite well.

She heard him bite back a sob as he answered her question. "Yes. Frequently."

He turned his head away so his wife would not see the tears that were falling from his face. Just talking about his childhood to her made him recall those painful memories…

_A drunken Tobias Snape stumbled across the kitchen floor while dragging his wife Eileen, a pureblood witch from the great Prince family, by her long black hair. The frail woman shrieked in pain as she was flung over the table and landed hard on her stomach onto the chair. "Tobias, please!" she begged._

"_You want more, witch?" snarled Tobias. He lifted her head and slapped her left cheek soundly. "I'll give you more! For eight long years, I had to spend my life with a magical whore like you, and you told me lies! Lies about your heritage, your family, and your education! And then you gave birth to that ugly thing you call our son!"_

_Eileen flinched as she felt another blow on her cheek, this time on the right side. "Tobias, I –"_

"_Shut up when I am talking to you!" The hooked nose man shoved her off the chair and watched her tremble as she fell onto the tile floor. "What disgusts me even more is that you have been teaching my son how to do hocus pocus like you so when you get tired of me, the two of you can kill me!"_

"_That is not true!"_

"_Don't lie to me, Eileen! I know your kind, and I have heard the stories of my people being killed by yours! Now I will give you the same kind of pain you have given us, but without your little wands, of course!"_

_In the pantry across the room, seven-year-old Severus Snape hid under the bottom shelf with his arms wrapping around his little knees. He was able to escape from his father's hand when heard the front porch door swing wide open, knocking down picture frames on the wall near the entrance to the house. He watched Tobias beat his wife through the open cream blinds until she was covered in bruises and red marks with handprints all over her body._

"_Where is he, bitch?" barked Tobias as he grabbed her by the shoulders. "Where is my son?"_

"_I don't know!" answered the pale witch. "Don't hurt him, please! He is only a child!"_

"_A child? He is more like a monster!"_

_Suddenly, he heard the clanking noise of pans being pushed together in the pantry. He tossed the crying witch aside and walked toward Severus, tripping over his feet while still in his drunken stage. He flung the doors open with a crooked smile on his face. "'allo, Severus," he slurred. "Come here to Daddy."_

_Little Severus tried to move further away from the rough hand coming toward him, but he felt his father grab him by the neck and toss him out of the pantry. He lifted his dark head to see Tobias take off his brown leather belt and snap it in front of his face. "You have been a bad boy, Severus Snape. Turn around and take off your shirt."_

_The child defiantly stood in his spot but was forcefully turned to face his scared mother and felt his black shirt rip apart. He looked over his shoulder to see what would happen next, but he did not prepare himself in time for the first sting of leather against soft skin…_

Severus winced in pain as he felt his wife soothing the throbs from his wounds with the washcloth. "Mother and I had to endure all we could until I was finally eleven years old and eligible to attend Hogwarts," he continued. "I was finally free from that bastard, but Mother was unfortunately not."

"What happened to her?" asked Hermione.

Severus' face fell upon hearing the question. He swallowed a cry and answered, "She was beaten to death by Father when I was in my seventh year. He then killed himself by gunshot after he realized what he had done. I spent the holidays alone in our house at Spinner's End, and I had to clean up all the blood that had dried onto the walls. That was the worst Christmas I could remember. I had no money, I had no family, and I had no friends. I was alone."

The Potions Master was unaware of the smirk on his wife's face for she knew Christmas was around the corner and that they would spend it together as a married couple. He will never have to spend it alone anymore, she thought. "That is about to change, Severus."

"Against our own will, my dear," he said. "I doubt this Christmas will be any different from the Christmases I lived through in the past."

"Nonsense! I have family and friends!"

"Yes, you do. But do not think that your parents will accept our marriage because of some bloody law that was devised weeks ago. Have you not told them the news?"

Hermione bit her lower lip. She was not able to explain the situation in a letter; she felt it was not the right thing to do without telling them the truth in person. No, she simply wrote that there had been changes in her life – not necessarily the best – but they would have to understand those changes for their safety.

She also added that she would visit them during Christmas vacation. In addition, there would be a surprise for them when she arrived in London.

"More or less," she replied. "We will have to visit them while we are out of school."

"Yes, you are right, wife," groaned Severus, grimacing at the thought of seeing his in-laws: a Muggle couple who were the best dentists in all of London and could not figure out how their only child was a witch. But unlike his father, they were proud of their little Hermione.

"After all, it is not like we are going to be traveling a lot and attending parties."

"Unless I get an invitation from the Malfoy family for the annual Yule celebration," muttered Severus.

Hermione shuddered at the idea of attending a party filled with Death Eaters and its host who had his silver eyes on her the moment he created the marriage law. "I would like to decline if we do receive one," she said.

"I can hardly imagine there will be one this year, after all that has happened. If so, I would not doubt that it would be another revel. Should it be one, I want you to stay home; let me come up with an excuse for your absence."

The witch sighed and asked the dreaded question that had been on the tip of her tongue since their wedding. "Severus, why did you become a Death Eater anyway?"

His cold black eyes turned to her in anger. "I had my reasons," he snarled. He did not have the time to explain his decision to his wife. In fact, he felt it was not necessary for him to pour out everything he held back from her just so she could sympathize with him. "I already told you one painful memory; I do not wish to tell you another."

"Will you tell me when the time is right?"

"Of course!" he snapped.

Hermione sat on other side of her husband, feeling a sense of pity for the man. It was no wonder he had been rough person during her seven years at Hogwarts. He had lived a life no child deserved to have, and he had taken many risks in his adulthood as a Death Eater. "Harry told me two years ago that he saw your life as a child during those Occlumency lessons, but nothing more other than your parents fighting," she said, breaking the silence between the two of them. "I never imagined it was that bad after what you told me. I do not think it is wise for me to say this, but I am sorry you had to go through all that pain. I truly am. No one needs to go through what you had to."

She sat the washcloth aside in the basin and turned her attention to Severus. "Now if only there was a way for me to get rid of these nasty marks on you."

Without prior permission, she ran a delicate finger of the long lash along his spine, causing him to seethe in a combination of pain and surprise. He trembled at her touch, which excited her greatly. Severus was not the kind of wizard who liked to be dominated by a witch and therefore, having such power made her feel more confident about her abilities. "Did I hurt you?"

"No," he answered raspy. "I am just not used to having a woman touching me like that." He closed his eyes as she continued her exploration on his back, indulging the sweet touch of her fingers against his skin. The tingling sensation found its way to his groin, arousing his phallus from its slumber. He had to have her now, filling her with pleasure this time, but he was in too much pain to turn around and grab her.

Suddenly, he groaned as her fingers were replaced by her lips and tongue. The pain was slowly going away, but the discomfort in his pants was becoming unbearable. His long bony fingers gripped the sheets tightly and he began to shift around in order to control himself.

Hermione, on the other hand, found herself to be attracted to the strange man for a husband. Despite of his bony and thin structure, his sallow skin, his greasy hair, and the scars that covered his body, she loved what he had hidden under his robes for so long. "Severus," she whispered in his ear, "you are such a beautiful creature. Don't ever hide yourself from me."

He opened his eyes wide, shocked to hear such words come from any witch's lips. For a long time, he thought of himself as unattractive in a woman's eyes. But now here he was, half-naked with his scars exposed to his former student who was also his wife, and she called him beautiful for the first time. She pitied him; she actually cared for him.

"Hermione," he breathed. Surprised to feel such great power to overcome his pain, he found himself flipping onto his back and pulling his wife into a deep and passionate kiss.

The potions obviously were not needed.

That's a wrap for now. Mmm… Another lemon on its way! I promise!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	17. Ch 17: Closer, 2 Lemon

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

Warning: Lemon!

Chapter 17: Closer, pt. 2

Hermione did not know what had happened nor how it had happened.

The last thing she remembered was kissing the scars that covered her husband's back after hearing his sad story as a child. And now here he was, facing her and capturing her mouth with his. His tongue penetrated her lips, asking for permission to enter her mouth. The fight was futile; she gave into his request. His kisses were intoxicating like the fumes of the strongest potion a wizard like Severus could brew.

She moaned into his mouth, begging for more. She felt herself being pulled closer to his radiating heat between his legs, gasping as her thigh made contact with his growing erection in his trousers.

"Damn, witch," Severus groaned. "You are going to be the death of me before the Dark Lord can say _Avada Kedavra_."

"I certainly hope not," she rasped.

He cupped her chin with his finger and stared into her brown eyes, glazed with passion and lust. "Hermione, there is something I need to know before we continue."

Hermione pouted. She was already starting to feel aroused with this newfound feeling she had for him, and with the sweet ache inside her body, she hated him for delaying what was to come. "What is it?" she asked impatiently.

"Do you… Love me?"

She felt her heart begin to break. She was not certain how to answer his question. For many years, she might have appeared to loathe him like her friends and classmates, but she tolerated him because of his offer to challenge and question her knowledge in the classroom.

And as she grew older, she respected him after learning about his role in the Order. But the death of Dumbledore threw a curve ball at her when she found out that her headmaster was killed by the very same man who insulted her during her fourth year when she was accidentally hit by Draco's hex and her teeth became enormously large like a rabbit's. Her respect for Severus returned at his trial months later after Voldemort's final battle when Dumbledore's Pensive was found and revealed information prior to his death, including Severus' confession about being place under an Unbreakable Vow he made with Narcissa Malfoy. Using that bit of information, she was able to save him from life in Azkaban and possible execution and made him a free man.

But did she love him? Did she truly love him? She felt confused. Then again, did he love _her_? "I think I should ask you that question too," she replied.

"Cannot seem to find the right words?"

"Well, it is just that –"

"I understand," he interrupted, lifting a hand to silence her. "You cannot seem to picture a snarky bastard for a husband like me as a loving man. I have been nothing but cruel to you and to the other students since the day I first taught Potions in this school. I have acted as a double agent, I have been called a murderer, and I have committed many crimes as a Death Eater. Where could one find love in a heart like mine?

"Hermione, dear, I cannot say that I love you, but I cannot say that I do not have feelings for you. I took you into my life for your protection because I know you will mean so much to our world when we fight the Dark Lord one more time." He paused for a moment with a smirk on his face. "That and the fact that when I want a witch in my life, I do not want her to be impractical and foolish beyond belief. I expect her to be intelligent and willing to accept any challenge I may throw at her. You, my dear, seem to be the perfect match for me, despite of our age gap.

"If you do not love me, I will hold no harsh feelings. But all I ask from you is this: I want you to have everything that I do not want. I want you to take away my loneliness; I want to take away my hatred toward the world. I want you to take everything away that made me fall from grace. I want you to have it and destroy it. Please, Hermione, save me."

_You can have my isolation_

_You can have the hate that it brings_

_You can have my absence to faith_

_You can have my everything_

Hermione felt tears forming in her eyes. Here she was in the arms of a broken man who was asking for her forgiveness. How could she not love him? Perhaps he does deserve a second chance at love, she thought. It is a shame that Lily could not let go of that grudge she had against him. "I will, Severus," she answered.

She saw his black eyes filled with emotion. Happiness, she concluded. She had made him a very happy man. "Thank you, dear," he said. "And just for the record, I have kept my word. I promise I will be gentle with you tonight. Now where were we?"

He pulled her into another kiss, and his hands began to roam all over her small body. He felt the curves of her waist and the flat planes of her belly. And then he found a full cloth-covered breast and massaged it with his thumb.

_Help me_

_You tear down my reason_

"Ah, yes." Hermione whimpered at his touch, finding herself to be vulnerable to his every command. She rolled her hips against his erection and watched him pull his hand away as if she burned him. "Severus, please," she protested.

"What did I say about being patient, my lioness," he asked, nibbling on her right earlobe playfully. His fingers slipped between her legs under her bathrobe and tugged down the knickers from her nightgown. He felt her wetness and inhaled the scent of her sex, finding it to be so strong and mind consuming. He had to get inside of her. Now.

_Help me_

_It's your sex I can smell_

"What are you doing to me?" gasped Hermione.

She felt his lips curl into a smile. "Bewitching your mind and ensnaring your senses, my dear," he answered huskily.

"Well, you are doing such a good job with that, _Professor_."

"My pleasure."

He untangled the knot of her belt to her bathrobe and opened it, only to reveal the nightgown that laid underneath it. "Too many clothes," he chuckled.

"I could say the same thing about you," said Hermione.

"Then allow me to remedy the problem. _Accio_ wand!" From his folded clothes that were magically divested from his body, his wand quickly floated into his hand. He pointed it between them and whispered into her ear, "Divesto."

The witch shuddered with pleasure as she felt naked skin against naked skin. She barely had time to get a good look at the man beneath her for Severus pulled her down onto his chest and captured her lips once again. Neither husband nor wife could get enough of the other.

His right leg separated her thighs and putting pressure on it, he flipped Hermione onto her back and carefully pinned her onto the sheets. "Think you can get away, dear?" he asked, smirking down at her.

"Whoever said I wanted to get away?" countered Hermione.

"Touché, Madame Snape. Touché." His lips found her neck and grazed his teeth along her skin, receiving a moan as part of his reward. But the moan grew louder as his fingers sought the greatest treasure of all in his search. He slid a finger into her tight walls and taking in the wetness he had found between her legs. Just how he wanted her to be. "Merlin, Hermione," he groaned. "How long have you been this ready for me?"

_Help me_

_You make me perfect_

"Long enough," she gasped. "Oh gods, Severus!" She felt his finger thrusting in and out of her body slowly, teasing her with his slow motions. She lifted her hips and moved with each thrust. Wave after wave of pleasure filled her, and she found herself begging for more.

"One is not adequate?" asked Severus. He stuck another finger into her clit and pumped it at a faster rate. "How is that?"

"I, ah… No, I want more! Give me more!"

She screamed as a third finger slipped into her body, almost coming to her climax right then and there. Her walls constricted his digits, and the urge to give into her release was unbearable. She gripped the sheets tightly and moaned his name as if it was a mantra.

Severus felt her body begin to tense. He pulled his fingers out and pushed her down, settling his left thigh between her. Using his mouth and hands, he began his mission to send Hermione over the edge with what he had to offer.

_Help me think I'm somebody else_

His hands roamed along her navel, teasing her and leaving her unfulfilled in her nether regions. He worked his mouth on her right breast, licking the nipple and playing with it as it hardened into a peak. He gently applied suction as he drew it between his lips, and Hermione soon found herself upset that the other creamy white mound was being ignored.

As if he had read her thoughts, Severus took his free hand and massaged her left breast, lightly pinching the nipple to a point. He freed the breast he had been feeding on and moved his mouth to the left one. He felt her fingers grabbing clumps of his greasy black hair, and it excited him to feel his wife become completely helpless under his touch with his ministrations.

Hermione, on the other hand, was becoming uncomfortable in her current situation. She was normally the type of witch who would never lose control of herself, but being sexually inexperienced, she was aware of possible scenarios of a bed partner that was, as Ron had once said, receiving pleasure.

She simply was not sure just how much control she would lose.

She felt a strange feeling in the pit of her stomach, and it began to spread like wildfire through her body, settling right in her loins. Her hips instinctively moved as her breath began to come in short gasps. "Oh gods," she moaned. "I think I am going to come!"

"Do not even attempt, witch," snarled her husband in ecstasy. "Such pleasure would be ruined too soon."

Hermione pulled Severus down until they were facing eye to eye. "Then fuck me!" she hissed. "Fuck me now!"

_I want to fuck you like an animal_

_I want to feel you from the inside_

_I want to fuck you like an animal_

_My whole existence is flawed_

_You get me closer to God_

"Why the rush, Madame Snape?" Severus rubbed his pulsing organ between her legs, feeling the wetness along the insides of her thighs. He groaned, anticipating for the sweet release she was holding. "Merlin!"

"Stop teasing me!" Hermione whined.

"Only a while longer, and then you will have your wish." He ran a bony finger along her clit and felt the dampness of her sex. The musky scent of her filled his nostrils. Perfect, he thought.

_Through every forest_

_Above the trees_

He parted her legs with his hands and traced his tongue around the edge her brown triangle of hair that was protecting the source of her discomfort. He watched his wife tossing her head back and forth on the pillow, writhing in ecstasy. She moaned his name when she felt his nose buried in her pubic hair. He cannot surely be thinking about doing that, she thought.

Sure enough, he was. She cried out when she felt his tongue slip between her folds. "Oh gods!" she screamed. "Severus!"

_Within my stomach_

_Scraped off my knees_

He lapped at her juices and teased her nub with short strokes. He wanted her to come for him right there, knowing that she would be aroused for him again when he was finished. Her walls began to constrict around his tongue with each lick, and to bring her to a powerful orgasm, he decided to lick her center faster.

_I drink the honey_

_Inside your hive_

"Oh yes!" gasped Hermione. "Ooh, Severus!" She felt fire spreading across her body from her toes to her shoulders until it settled in the pit of her belly. "I think I'm gonna… Ooh, yes…"

"Let it go, Hermione," breathed Severus. "Let it all go." He gave her one last lick before she finally went over the edge screaming his name. He tasted the nectar that was flowing from her sweet release. "Yes… Perfect."

Hermione shuddered and quaked in pleasure. Her legs were tired while her breathing was fast and choppy. The man knew how to make her tremble in his arms, and he knew where she longed to be touched. He is really good, she thought. "Oh sweet Circe! That was… Amazing!"

"Yes, especially if that was your first orgasm," purred her husband. "But do not think I am done with you yet, witch." He rubbed his now painful erection against her swollen nether region, penetrating her inch by inch. "We need to take care of this problem of mine first."

He slipped inside her and took in the wonderful feeling of her walls tightening around his penis. She was no virgin, but she felt so good for her second time he nearly came immediately. He heard a sharp intake of air from his wife, realizing that she was slightly uncomfortable. "Did I hurt you?" he asked.

"A little," she said. "Just wait here; don't move until I say so."

He nuzzled his face into the crook of her neck and began his sweet assault on her skin with his tongue. He twirled it around the fair flesh as he tried to subdue the pain between her legs. Hermione gasped and instinctively moved her hips, causing Severus to groan. "More," she begged.

Severus pulled his face away from her body and began to pump in and out of her at a slow pace. He wanted to savor the sexual moment as much as possible, but with his wife fitting around him perfectly and milking him to the very last drop, he felt the need to come inside her rather unbearable.

With each thrust, he gradually picked up his speed until he was barely withdrawing himself from her warmth. And with each thrust, he heard her pleas for more. Their bodies were covered in sweat and the green sheets were sticking onto Hermione as she moved beneath her husband.

_You are the reason_

_I stay alive_

Suddenly, the familiar warm feeling found its spot inside her once again and Hermione could not hold it in any longer. "Severus!" she screamed as she reached her climax, releasing all her hot juices and coating his phallus that was buried within her heat and triggering his orgasm. She moaned at the wonderful feeling of his hot seed spreading throughout her lower half.

Lost in his own sweet release, he lifted his dark head back and screamed out a name, but it was not hers. Her eyes widened as she heard it slip off of his tongue.

"Lily!"

Tired, consumed, but unaware of his action, Severus collapsed on top of her, shuddering at the greatest release he had ever encountered. For being a man in his early forties, he felt like a seventh-year student for a brief moment – young, energetic and sexually aroused.

He felt hot tears flowing from Hermione's eyes. He prayed to the deities above that he did not make her cry because she was in pain, but when he pulled away, he saw her smiling within those tears, although he was oblivious to the fact that the smile was a fake. "Are you okay?" he asked. "Did I hurt you?"

"More than okay," she answered. "That was so wonderful."

"I told you I would do my best to be gentle tonight."

"Yes, you did. I never knew sex could be this great."

Severus smiled and rolled onto his back, pulling his wife into his arms. "Sex is great, but it can be very addicting if you are not careful," he said. "It is a matter of self-control; there is a time and place for it but not everywhere you go."

"So in order words, we cannot shag in the classroom or in your office."

"Exactly, Madame Snape. Unless you wish to do some role playing past midnight."

Hermione blushed at the idea, despite of her sadness, but she was starting to enjoy the thought of her husband being the mean professor he had been toward her and taking her on his desk as part of her punishment for being such a bad girl. "I never knew you were into that," she said.

"Truly, I am not, but since you are still my student and I am still your professor, I am still allowed to give you detention anytime I chose to do so," said Severus. "And if I wish to shag you as part of your punishment, I am entitled to that. That is the only time I will ever allow you to scream 'Professor' when you are coming for me." He smirked as he felt her shudder in excitement from the picture he had painted in her head. He had to admit, though, that did not sound like a bad idea at all.

He let out a yawn and snuggled against Hermione. "Tomorrow is Sunday, and I have some work I intend to do," he said. "Surely there is some studying on your agenda for the day with all your finals starting on Monday."

"There is," said Hermione. "And like always, I want to do my best."

"Then do not let me stop you from your date with your books and your notes like I have been doing since we have married. Goodnight, Hermione." He reached over and kissed her forehead. "Sweet dreams."

Hermione smiled and kissed his hooked nose in return. "Sweet dreams to you, too." She closed her eyes and slowly slipped into the dreamworld. She wanted to sleep with a smile on her face from experiencing the best sex in her life, but she could not do such a thing. Her husband made a mistake that night, and it hurt her deep. He will never love me like he loved her, she thought. She allowed one tear to fall from her eyes before she was fast asleep minutes later.

Sleep took a while to come for Severus, however, but when he was about to fall asleep next to his wife, his eyes flew wide open. "Oh no," he muttered. "I did not…"

He had called her Lily at the most crucial part of their coupling. Idiot, he thought.

Seventeen chapters down, many more to go including a visit with the Muggle in-laws! Don't forget to review this chapter!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	18. Ch 18: Into the Void, 1

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

Obviously, this story is not DH-compliant. If it was, I am sure Ronald Weasley would be hexing me for pairing his wife with a dead man.

Chapter Eighteen: Into the Void, pt. 1

When she woke from her fitful and dreamless slumber, Hermione found herself alone in the bed she shared with Severus. She felt the cold mattress behind her and knew that her husband had been awake and away for quite sometime. She listened for footsteps and the sound of running water from the shower. But the entire suite was quiet.

Dangling her feet at the edge of the bed, Hermione, naked and sad, thought about the activity from the previous night, gripping the sheets beneath her tightly in her fists. She could not believe that the man she chose to married ruined everything in one name, and now she feared for the worst.

"There is no way in Merlin's name I will replace her," she muttered as she began to shed several tears from her brown eyes. "I will never be Lily."

She looked at the gold analog clock that Severus used for his alarm clock and knew that she had a long Sunday ahead of her. Studying was the first thing on her agenda, and Severus was going to be the last.

As she slipped into her bathrobe, she swore to herself that she would not bring up the incident to Severus, providing that he was not aware of his actions in the first place, until the time was right.

And until that time came, he was not going to touch her.

The week of the semester finals flew by in a blur. Like always, Hermione studied and prepared herself for each class with the exception of Potions. Unlike her other classes, where the tests were comprehensive and were distributed in either multiple choice or essay format, this one was an exception: a hands-on examination. For Advanced Potions, Severus wanted his students to create one of the potions that were covered during that semester without using notes and asking for help. To her classmates' dismay, a vast majority of them failed it past the third step, including Harry, Ron, and, obviously, Neville.

"I swear we will never get at least an 'E' in this class!" muttered Harry after his cauldron blew up.

"I would not be surprised if 'Mione walks away with an 'O,' said Ron under his breath. "She is probably Snape's favorite student by now. I mean the git is getting laid almost every night! You can tell by the way he treats her!"

"Ron, they're married! They can shag like rabbits if they want to!"

Although Harry was whispering to Ron quietly, Hermione could still hear bits and pieces of their conversation. She was deeply hurt that her best friends were jealous of her and that they assumed that being married to the Greasy Git would get her flying colors through the class.

Even Severus was angry with the two boys when he saw the sadness in Hermione's eyes. He did not breathe a word to them until class was dismissed. "And 50 points from Gryffindor for being dunderheads and snooping around in my business," he called to Harry and Ron. "What Madame Snape and I do outside of class is none of your concern. I do treat her the same as always, but it is she that has undergone a change, not me. Be thankful today is your last day for the semester, gentlemen. Otherwise, I could give you detention with Filch tonight. Consider it as a Christmas gift from me. Now get out."

Harry and Ron rolled their eyes and walked out of the room, leaving Hermione alone with her husband. She knew her friends would see her off before going to their respectable homes for the next few weeks. Unfortunately, they would also be seeing Severus off with her; he had agreed to spend Christmas in Muggle London with his wife and his in-laws.

Hermione remembered the letter she had received from her parents, responding to a parchment she sent to them concerning about her marriage, although she did not directly explain the situation to them in writing.

_Dear Hermione,_

_Your father and I will try and be open-minded with these changes you speak of. It sounds like someone has made a great impact on your young life, but I would guess that you found yourself a lucky man, or wizard. Is it Ronald or Harry? We hope you are happy, and we look forward to seeing you and this surprise you speak of. I will make sure there is another spot at the dinner table. Let us hope that your father will not check himself into an asylum when you arrive._

_Love,_

_Mum & Dad_

Hermione was afraid her mother would guess correctly the first time. Mrs. Granger knew her daughter quite well – Hermione always took her academics seriously and had little time for a relationship. Truth be told, the young witch had no interest in the boys at Hogwarts unless they were decently intelligent, which was less than two percent of the male student body. Why she decided to date Viktor Krum and Ron Weasley in the first place was beyond her comprehension.

The witch sighed as she heard the door slam shut behind her two friends and approached her husband at his desk. "I am sorry," she apologized. "I did not mean to make you upset at them."

"There is no need to apologize, Madame Snape," said Severus coolly. "I knew I would hear that kind of attitude from them any time soon."

"They will get over it."

The Potions Master raised an arched eyebrow, nonverbally disagreeing with his wife. "How would you know? Mr. Potter has yet to forgive me after all that I have done to make his life miserable here at Hogwarts."

"Give him time."

"How much time? Days? Weeks? Months? Years? Decades? A century? How long must I wait for him to accept our marriage, Hermione?"

"I don't know!" groaned Hermione. "Maybe when he decides to grow up!"

"You do know that most boys these days do not 'grow up' mentally when they become men, my dear."

Hermione huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "Don't remind me."

"And Mr. Weasley has a temper that needs to be controlled. How long do you think he will forgive me for marrying his ex-girlfriend?"

"What are you trying to say, Professor?"

"What I am trying to say, Madame Snape, is that this is the exact reason why you chose to be academically involved and why you cannot stand dunderheads for your peers!" snarled Severus. "Let them talk about us behind your back; let them spread rumors. Do not give into their taunting. Let your maturity set an example for them. You are strong enough to handle everything that is thrown at you. I know it. You were not sorted into Gryffindor for nothing."

Hermione wiped away a tear from her left eye and nodded her head. "You're right, sir. Boys will always be boys. I might as well accept it." She grabbed her knapsack and her books on her desk. "I have to take the Headmistress' Advanced Transfiguration exam in a few minutes, and then I will start packing for our trip home. Is there anything you need me to do until you are done with your classes?"

"Just make sure Poe has his cage cleaned and is fed and take care of that ball of orange fluff that you refer to as your cat," replied Severus with a smirk on his face. "I do not want to go walk to the front porch of your parents' house covered in cat hair."

Hermione stifled a giggle at the thought of Severus wearing his black frock coat with the result of Crookshanks' uncontrollable shedding problem all over him. "I will brush him out before we leave," she said.

"That will be all then, Madame Snape. Until this afternoon," he said, dismissing her with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, until this afternoon."

Her final exam for the week was so easy Hermione only needed five minutes to answer her questions. Her classmates were shocked to see her pack her bags moments after she had just received her test. Even Minerva was surprised to see the young woman walking to her desk with her exam done and ready for grading. "Already?" she asked.

"Yes, Headmistress," answered Hermione.

Minerva leaned down and whispered loud enough for only Hermione to hear her. "Where are you and Severus spending Christmas?"

"I felt it was time for us to meet my parents in London."

The older witch frowned at her. "You do know that Severus can barely trust any Muggle, Hermione."

"I know," said Hermione with a frown. "He told me what happened to him as a child."

"His rationalization is just like He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named's: _all_ Muggles are the same. I hope your father is different from his, though."

"Believe me, Headmistress – Dad never abused me as a child."

Minerva's wrinkly hand covered hers, and she looked up to see the Headmistress of Hogwarts smiling down at her. "Then I must wish you two a safe trip to London and a happy Christmas."

Hermione nodded her head in response and walked out of the Transfiguration classroom with a smile on her face. She had never been so happy and so excited about vacation time up until now. She walked quickly to her private chambers near the Astronomy Tower, nearly stumbling over her robes as she climbed up the spiral staircase in excitement, and lifted the locks and wards on the door leading to her home she shared with Severus.

She found Poe perched on a twig in his cage in the living room and took him out of his cell to roam around the chambers. "I need to get your home cleaned and have you fed before Severus and I leave for a few weeks," she told the raven.

Poe cawed in disappointment for he knew he had to stay at Hogwarts while his master and his mistress were away. And he was not too keen on the idea of the cat going with them instead. On the other hand, he would not have to worry about keeping one eye open at night anymore.

Well, not for a while, that is.

With his cage cleaned and food and water in his dispensers several minutes later, Poe flew back into his home and watched Hermione brush Crookshanks on the couch in front of the fireplace. He cawed at the cat in amusement; he loved seeing his nemesis being groomed against his own will. Even Crookshanks looked at his mistress with green eyes that pleaded her to stop brushing him.

"Crooks, it is not my fault you have to deal with hair loss," said Hermione. "Severus does not like having your fur on his clothing, especially since we are going to be seeing Mum and Dad for the holidays."

The cat mewled happily. He loved going to the Grangers' house whenever Hermione decided to go home for a while. Her parents loved having a cat around. Because of their profession they were always too busy to keep an animal that needed to be taken care of, such as a dog. With a cat like Crookshanks, they could trust him not to cause any trouble while they were gone. He also loved to go to their house for another reason: for the past several years, the Grangers had a mouse problem, and they depended on him to solve it with his stalking skills.

Until now, Crookshanks had a record of twenty-five killings since he found his first victim after Hermione's second year. He had hoped his mistress' parents did not go out and buy another cat during his leave. He wanted to get one more mouse in his paws.

When Hermione heard the door open, she put Crookshanks down onto the floor and allowed him to greet his new master, rubbing himself against Severus' trousers without care. The Potions Master simply glared at his wife in return. "These pants were just clean hours ago," he said.

Hermione giggled and grabbed her cat. "He just wanted to say 'hello' to you, Severus," she said.

"By shedding his hair onto me?"

"He does not mean to do that. He is simply a cat."

"Yes. A cat that would make a good fur hat," muttered Severus.

"What did you say?" asked Hermione angrily.

Severus quickly turned his head away from the piercing glare. "Nothing, dear," he said, clasping his hands behind his back. "Did you get everything you wanted to go with you packed?"

Hermione looked at the clock on the mantel. "Severus, it is only 10:40! It is not yet noon!" she protested.

"That is true, but my office hours were cancelled upon Minerva's request. That meddling witch heard about our trip to your parents, and she thought it would be nice for me not to be available to the students if they need my help."

"And just how many students have ever needed our help during final week?" asked Hermione. She already knew the answer, but she could not help herself from asking.

"During the time that I have taught at Hogwarts, only one," answered Severus. "And I am married to her. No one else has ever dared to come to me unless they had to serve detention."

"Well, I did have a question about step three in today's examination," purred Hermione as she wrapped her arms around her husband's neck. "Maybe you can help me with it."

"With pleasure, Madame Snape." Severus knew exactly where his wife was going with his free time. He had to thank Minerva later for giving him the advantage to enjoy an additional two hours before the trip to Muggle London, even if it meant using those two hours snogging his wife senseless. Using wandless magic, he locked the door and placed several wards and silence charms.

He turned his attention to his wife with a smirk upon his lips. "Shall we?"

Hermione thought about the oath she had made earlier that week and shook her head. "No," she said firmly.

"No?" asked Severus in shock. "You don't want me?"

"I do, Severus," said Hermione, "but we do not have the time for you to satisfy your needs." She silently prayed to the gods above that her lie fooled Severus into something else besides sex.

"Then how do you want me?"

She pulled his head down to hers for a kiss, tasting the salty flavor on the lips that belonged to her husband. Boldly and bravely, her tongue slipped into his mouth and mated with his, receiving a growl of approval as she ran the tips long his teeth and a hand on her buttocks, pushing her against his growing erection in his trousers.

She pulled away and looked into his black eyes, her brown orbs glazed with passion and lust. "That is how I want you," she said. "No sex; no groping. Just making out until we get tired from each other."

Lifting his wife into his arms, Severus smiled a little and replied, "I think I can do that, Madame Snape." He carried her into their bedroom and closed the door behind him, leaving the raven and the cat alone in the living and wondering what had gotten into their masters.

_(Tried to save myself_

_But myself keeps slipping away)_

On the way toward the Hogwarts Express later that afternoon, a rather exhausted Hermione and a satisfied Severus, both with swollen lips, sat side by side on a wagon full of seventh-year Gryffindors and Slytherins. Harry, Ron, and Ginny sat next to their friend, separating themselves from her dark husband. But out of the trio, the young Weasley girl was the bravest and found a spot by Hermione's right side. She truly had no problem with her Potions professor marrying the bookworm, but she had to keep her boyfriend and her brother far away from him as much as possible.

"So, you're going to see your parents, 'Mione?" asked Ginny.

"Yes, we are," replied Hermione. "It is going to be strange, but I know we can get through this together."

"But have you ever thought about how they would react if they found out that you were married somewhat against your will to a very dangerous wizard, who is twice your age and practically old enough to be your father?"

Severus' lip began to curl into a sneer but quickly straightened himself out when Hermione turned to him with a dangerous look in her eyes. "I think they will be fine with it," she said with confidence. "They understand of my unusual heritage; they should understand the governing powers over us."

"I hope you are right. Otherwise, you could always come home to the Burrow any time during vacation. You know Mum always has a room for you and now the professor."

"I will remember that, Ginny. Thank you for the offer."

_Talking to myself all the way to the station_

Hermione remained quiet for the rest of the voyage, but Ginny was right about one thing: she was scared to see her parents' reaction once she got home. Her parents could be overprotective, especially her father, but that was simply the parental instinct in them.

"They are not going to blow up. They are not going to blow up," she chanted quietly.

Severus, however, saw the worried look in his wife's eyes and held her hand in his. "Do not be afraid, Madame Snape," he said silkily. "I can assure you that nothing bad will happen. If so, I can change all that."

"You are not going to hex my father if he attacks you with an ax, Severus," warned Hermione.

"Not even a simple stunning spell?"

"Not a single one. I am going to try and be reasonable to them like an adult." She pushed a brown curl away from her face and added, "If they are not happy and threaten to kick me out of the house, we will leave. No hexing allowed."

"Then so be it." Severus said nothing more and remained silent in his seat.

_Pictures in my head of the final destination_

Hermione, on the other hand, began to imagine the possible scenario that Ginny painted in her mind…

"_Hermione Jane Granger!" scolded the female Dr. Granger. "Who do you think you are bringing this… murderer into the house!"_

"_He is too old for you, Hermione!" argued the male Dr. Granger. "He is almost my age! He is a pedophile and a perverted old man!"_

"_Marriage law? There is no such thing in this world! Why is there even one in yours?"_

"_Leave the wizarding world, Hermione! That is not an option; that is an order!"_

"_You can attend a normal boarding school for the rest of the school year! It is time forget all that hocus pocus stuff! It is just for children!"_

"_You are not a child anymore! You are a woman, an adult! Start thinking like one!"_

"Hermione! Hermione!"

The witch jumped from her thoughts at the touch of a hand on her right shoulder. She looked over to see Ginny with tears in her blue eyes. "This is it," said the redhead. "We are boarding the Hogwarts Express right now."

Hermione nodded her head and grabbed her carry-on luggage and Crookshanks' traveling carrier. With the help from Severus, she hopped off of the wagon and bid her friends goodbye. "If there are any problems with my family, I will let you all know," she said.

"Good luck, 'Mione," said Harry, giving his best friend a hug. "Have a safe Christmas." He turned to Severus but quickly glanced away from his dark gaze. "The, er – same to you. Sir."

"Indeed," said Severus. "Happy holidays, Mr. Potter." He bowed his head toward the two Weasley children and escorted his young wife to their compartment on the train. They were assigned to the room next to Draco Malfoy's due to Hermione's status of being Head Girl. The witch was thankful that she had her husband with her after all. If the blonde ferret and his goons decided to give her any trouble, she was certain Severus could do something about it now that he was married to her.

They placed their luggage on the storage racks above their seats, minimizing Crookshanks' carrier to palm-size and placing it into Hermione's suitcase, and sat down next to each other by the window. "Still nervous, Hermione?" asked Severus, drawing his right arm behind his wife's shoulders bringing her closer to his body.

"Yes," she replied. "After all, this is my family we are going to see. Even if you were just a Muggle, the idea of seeing your woman's parents – girlfriend or wife – would most likely make you scared. Yet on her part, she would be nervous because of the fear that her man might make a complete arse of himself in front of her parents, especially in front of her overprotective father."

"I am certainly capable of not being a complete arse in public," said Severus. "And I am no randy teenager either. I am a civilized man, and I can control myself in any situation, even if it is meeting the in-laws."

"But can you control your anger?" asked Hermione.

Severus straightened up and sneered. "Are you implying that I have an anger management problem?"

"I just don't want them to offend you, Severus. They are nice people." Hermione snuggled into her husband's side and rested her head on his right shoulder. "I told them quite a bit about you since my first year."

Severus arched his left eyebrow and scowled at his wife. "You what?" he hissed.

"I told them because they asked about all of my professors," explained Hermione. "They know that you were my cruel yet brilliant teacher for five consecutive years in Potions and one year of Defense Against the Dark Arts. They know that you were associated with the Death Eaters and killed Dumbledore as planned. They also know that you were nearly sentenced to Azkaban had it not been for the Pensieve."

"But you have failed to tell them that I married you?" asked Severus.

The witch shrugged her shoulders. "I thought that maybe it was time we told that bit of news to their face. A letter cannot explain everything like a marriage law. That would be very confusing to a person who is foreign to us."

She let out a quiet yawn and felt her eyelids becoming heavy. "Such a long ride home," she murmured.

"You do need your rest, Madame Snape," said Severus. "Go to sleep. I will wake you up when we get to London."

Hermione nodded and closed her eyes, hoping to dream of a wonderful visit with her family. But that dream never came. Instead, she had begun to dream a nightmare she feared would come true…

_She stood in the darkness alone with her wand in her hand, her only hope for protection. There was no other breathing soul but just her. "H-h-hello?" she asked. Her only response was her echo in the distance. "Is anyone there?"_

_Suddenly, she heard a familiar male voice behind her, causing her to jump and aim her wand at nobody in particular. "You betrayed us, 'Mione," it hissed. "You said you would have nothing to do with the Greasy Git, and now you chose to marry him. You married a murderer, but not just any murderer. A murderer who was found innocent because of a bloody Pensieve that Dumbledore provided!"_

_She turned to see a dream image of Harry Potter with eyes full of nothing but hatred. "I thought you were my best friend, 'Mione."_

_Before she could cast a curse at him, he disappeared into thin air. "Harry!" she cried. "Don't leave me!"_

"_You always gave him a second chance," growled a voice that belonged to Ron Weasley. "You believed he was working for Dumbledore, and you helped him get off the hook from going to Azkaban. You always sided with him. Why should we ever trust you and your loyalties? Are they just like Snape's?"_

_The dream-Ron disappeared, but the taunting was not over for Hermione. She whirled around to find a dream-Ginny glaring at her. "Snape is not the only murderer at Hogwarts; you are one as well. You are responsible for the Minister's death! And you call yourself the brightest witch of your age," she sneered. "You should have just let Lucius Malfoy marry you. None of this would have happened."_

_Hermione fell to her knees and began to sob. "Don't go, guys!" she cried. "I need you!"_

_Then the darkness began to fill her mind with voices teasing her with a word she did not want to hear. "Mudblood! Mudblood! Dirty little Mudblood!"_

_She looked over her left shoulder and found dream-Draco, dream-Crabbe, and dream-Goyle laughing at her. "Look at the Mudblood!" snickered the young Malfoy. "Can you believe my godfather married that filth?"_

_The verbal torment continued as an image of Lucius Malfoy and Voldemort stepped out from the darkness. "And what exactly did you accomplish today, Malfoy?" asked Voldemort with an evil glint in his red eyes._

_Lucius turned his malicious gaze toward Hermione with a smirk on his face. "The destruction of Hogwarts was a success," he replied. "The Headmistress was so easy to defeat, and the students were pathetic. Such an easy win."_

"_What about the Mudblood's family?"_

_The blonde wizard chuckled under his breath. "Good as dead," he answered. "The woman was a good fuck, though. Such as shame she was screaming her daughter for help while we ripped her insides apart. Her father did not know everything he used in his profession could kill him. Too bad London will now have to find two dentists to fill the void in the demand."_

_Hermione felt her eyes sting from her tears when she heard the news of the dentists Grangers' death. "You bastards!" she spat. "You killed my parents! I will never forgive you!"_

"_And Potter and his cohorts?" asked Voldemort._

"_I think you should let my old friend tell you about our victory," said Lucius. "After all, he did kill Harry Potter by himself."_

_Hermione looked over her right shoulder to see a Death Eater appear behind her. "My Lord," he said, kneeling on his left knee. He lifted his mask to reveal his identity._

_It was Severus Snape who killed Harry along with their friends._

"_Rise Severus," hissed Voldemort, "and take your reward." He threw a chain hex at Hermione, summoning chains to rise from the earth and shackle her onto the ground. "Do as you please with her. She is nothing more than a Mudblood, such an stain in the purity of our world."_

_Hermione felt her body being turned over forcefully and her clothes disappearing before her. Her eyes lingered to Severus, who was pushing up his robes and unzipping his trousers, and widened as his penis fell out of its confinement. "Severus, please!" she pleaded._

"_That is exactly what I plan to do," he chuckled before ramming his organ into her…_

_All lined up_

_(All the ones that aren't allowed to stay)_

Hermione's brown eyes flew open at the screeching sound of the Hogwarts Express pulling into the station around midnight. Her breathing became erratic, and she broke out into a sweat. "Oh gods! No!" she screamed. "Stop! Stop it!"

She felt a pair of strong arms around her and a soothing baritone voice calming her down as her eyes fluttered open. "Hermione, dear, it is just a nightmare," whispered Severus. "Nothing is going to happen to you. I am here."

She turned to her husband and buried her face into the crook of his neck as she began to cry. "It was horrible," she sobbed. "You… And Harry… And Ron and Ginny…"

_Tried to save myself_

_But myself keeps slipping away_

He silenced her blubbering with a hand. "I do not want to even hear about it right now. All I want is to get off this train as soon as possible."

"But we are not even in London!"

"I can assure you, dear, our trip is over. We are here."

"We are?" Hermione looked out the window and saw a familiar sight on the other side of the glass barrier: Platform 9 ¾. They were finally in London.

They were finally home.

Don't forget to review this chapter! Please? Purdy please?

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	19. Ch 19: The Mark Has Been Made

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Author Notes: J.K. Rowling owns the characters. Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails own the songs. I own the plot.

Well, the school year is almost done for me. After doing the fall finals earlier this month, I have only one more semester to go. Whoo hoo!

I lost Chapter 19 and part of Chapter 20 when my flash drive decided to give up on me. But maybe this newly revised entry might prove itself worthy for you HG/SS shippers.

Unfortunately for all you readers, there are no NIN lyrics for this chapter. In fact, the title is from one of the few instrumentals from the album _The Fragile _(one that could possibly be seen on Severus' list of his top 10 favorite Muggle albums, if he ever listens to Muggle music, but that's just me), and I find it very appropriate given the situation later on.

So, sit back and enjoy!

Chapter Nineteen: The Mark Has Been Made

As Severus and Hermione stepped out of their compartment and off the train, they found Platform 9 ¾ crowded with fellow classmates and their families. They saw Arthur and Molly Weasley greeting her three friends with hugs and kisses, but when Molly's blue eyes met the couple, they had a deep hue as if she was throwing daggers at them, Arthur looked at them with a weak smile and escorted the teenagers and his wife away.

Hermione felt cold and broken, knowing exactly where Ron's had anger originated in the family. The matriarch was just as vicious and cruel as her youngest son. Thankfully, Ginny had taken the traits of her father, with the exception of receding hair and balding, of course.

She watched Harry look over his right shoulder with a frown on his lips. This would be his first Christmas vacation in a while without the entire Golden Trio together at some point, whether it was on Christmas or around New Year's Day. Even if she could join them, she would have to bring Severus along, which would not be such a good idea given the current circumstances.

Sensing that his wife was upset, Severus slipped an arm around her waist and said in a low voice, "Forget about those dunderheads, Madame Snape. Do not let their anger and bitterness ruin _our_ vacation."

She nodded her head, silently agreeing with him, and turning on her heels, she followed her husband down the platform, pushing her way through a small group of students here and there in order to catch up with his long strides. They were almost at the exit when Lucius Malfoy stepped out in front of them.

Severus put an arm out in front of Hermione, signaling her to stop and remain cautious. He felt something was not right about the rich wizard, not since the day Voldemort was revived. "What a pleasant surprise to see you, Lucius," he growled through clenched teeth.

"Yes, my old friend. Such a pleasant surprise indeed," replied Lucius with an evil smirk. "I was not expecting you to be here at first, Severus, but I… forgot that you were married to a particular Mudblood student." His silver eyes turned toward Hermione, filled with amusement. "Tell me, are you intending to spend the holidays with her family?"

"No," lied Severus. "We are just simply going to my house at Spinner's End for a few days and then we will immediately return to Hogwarts. I have no desire to meet my in-laws, and if I did, I would do it under _his_ orders. The last time I checked, our master did not have a mission for me to carry out."

"Touché," said Lucius. " I suppose we could spare them their lives for the time being. After all, the holidays are around the corner. But that does not mean that they will still be safe should we choose to use them for our entertainment after Christmas." He paused as his gaze stopped at a blanching Hermione once again. "Such a shame you chose to be married to their daughter, Severus. You just put them at a greater risk than before."

Severus pulled out his wand from his pocket and pointed it at the neck of his "friend." "Lay a hex or a finger on my in-laws in my presence or when I am not looking, and I will see to it that you go back to Azkaban in a blink of an eye," he snarled.

"Only if our master does not tell us to do so," countered Lucius. "Otherwise, I will do what he commands like a true Death Eater should. Can we agree on that, old friend?"

"I suppose we could."

"Very well," said Lucius as he carefully lowered Severus' wand from his Adam's apple. "'Tis such a pity you and your wife might not be able to attend my annual Christmas party next week at the estate, Severus. Then again, if you brought her along, there would be no telling what Bella might have in store for her, let alone her husband and the other male Death Eaters. She would make a good pet to our master, though."

Hermione glared at the blonde wizard, only to be held further back by the Potions Master. "Such a feisty one, Severus," she heard Lucius purred. "Too bad she chose you over me."

"Well, she does have good taste," retorted Severus with a small smirk on his face.

"That is true, old friend, unlike that Evans Mudblood."

Severus' smile quickly deflated into a frown as anger filled his black eyes, but before he could make a move, he watched Lucius walk past the couple toward Draco who was waiting for his father to take him home. "Are we ready?" he asked the young man.

"Yes, father," answered Draco solemnly.

"Very good." Turning his attention back to the married couple, Lucius nodded his head toward Severus, bidding him farewell. When his silvery orbs glanced at Hermione, she noticed that there was a glaze of lust gleaming in his eyes. "Until we met again next… Mudblood."

Draco, on the hand, showed a weak frown on his face and lowered his head as he followed his father out of the train station. Hermione watched the young Slytherin and Head Boy dragging his luggage sadly behind him.

"As much as a git he is, I feel so sorry for him," she said to her husband.

"For once in your life, you feel sorry for Draco? Why do you say that?" asked Severus.

"I don't think he wanted to go home."

Severus nodded his head as he watched his godson from a distance, noting his pained behavior while Lucius led them further away. "You might be right, Madame Snape," he said. "There is something strange going on indeed."

"And to think this is the first Christmas he is going to spend without his mother," added Hermione.

The Potions Master took a deep breath and replied, "He has gone through such a rough time, my dear, and as far back than the time you two first met. Ever since I have known him when he was just a newborn, he had lived in the shadow of his parents and their practices and beliefs, although Narcissa was an honorary Death Eater through Lucius. She was never an official member like her sister Bellatrix. As you know, Draco was in line to be one had he actually carried out the Dark Lord's plans during your sixth year."

At this, Severus frowned as the haunting memory of that fateful night crept into his mind. He was finally relieved of his thought when Hermione asked, "Has his life always been this jaded?"

"Always, love," he answered. "Always."

Hermione frowned as she continued to watch the two blonde wizards disappear into the crowd until she could no longer see them. She felt her husband's hand on her right shoulder, knowing that they too must leave the train station for her home.

After walking out of the building, Hermione sat on a bench while Severus stood beside her. "And why are we not taking the Knight Bus like the other students, Madame Snape?" he asked sourly as he felt the cold wind sting his cheeks, forcing him to wrap his old Slytherin scarf tightly around his neck. "Surely you must have ridden it sometime in your life."

"Mum and Dad have always made prior arrangements with the local cab industry," explained Hermione. "They always choose a close family friend, and ever since I have attended Hogwarts, I am not able to see him as much as I have in the past. So, by doing this, I can see him again, even if it is just thirty minutes or so."

"I see," said Severus. "I still fail to understand why your parents cannot pick you up when families of other students are present here, like the Weasley family."

"They are busy, and you will see why."

"What? Am I to make a visit to their professions while I am home with you and have a tour of their establishment?" he asked coldly.

"No, but since you are staying with me, you will notice how much they are away because of their job," answered Hermione. "Although I have a feeling Mum and Dad will want to give you a free teeth cleaning. I am due for one."

"They will not touch my teeth if they know what is best for them," growled Severus.

"Seriously, Severus, when was the last time you have been to a dentist?"

"Before I turned ten," he replied.

"And you claim you are a wizard," muttered Hermione. "You could always charm your teeth to make them look pearly white. After all, it took me four years to charm my overgrown teeth into a lovely smaller size, which you obvious saw no difference when I was hit with that hex in my fourth year!"

"What if I refuse to do such thing, Madame Snape? I surely do not want to lose my…" He paused to look at his young wife with a hint of mischief in his black eyes and then added, "_reputation_."

"I will have you know, Mr. Snape, that you _earned_ that reputation," retorted Hermione, "and you obviously _deserved_ it."

"And pray tell what that reputation is?" he hissed.

"Greasy Git. Bat of the dungeons. Snarky bastard," replied Hermione. "Must I continue?"

Severus leaned forward so his nose was merely centimeters away from hers. "Be thankful you are not on Hogwarts property right now, Madame Snape," he said oily. "Otherwise, I would be having a field day taking away points from Gryffindor for your cheek."

"And how many points would have been lost?"

"Right now," he drawled with a smirk, "you just racked up a loss of 200 points. And just for the record, I still see no difference with your teeth."

Hermione fumed silently in her seat. "Snarky bastard," she muttered under her breath.

"Insufferable know-it-all," he groaned, pinching the bridge of his nose, nonverbally suggesting that she was indeed giving him a headache with her behavior. He did notice that there was indeed quite a bit of sexual tension happening between the two of them, and the arguments and the name-calling had been taking a huge toll on their marriage. Thankfully, the final examination period for the semester keep most of their troubles at bay for she spent most of her nights in the library studying while he stayed in his office evaluating potion after potion per class. In addition, he did his midnight rounds while she went to bed alone.

But they also had their moments together where they would forget about getting under each other's skin and learn to love each other, although sex had been out of the question since…

Since you mucked it all up last week, you idiot, his inner voice chided.

Idiot indeed, he snorted to himself. At this rate, there was no way he could impregnate his wife, especially since they were going to see his new in-laws. Oh, but that would be such a wonderful thing to do around midnight on Christmas morning and then waking up to hear the results.

Perhaps, he thought, he could throw in a little bit of Slytherin cleverness and wit and finally do something right while making love to Hermione.

But first he had to, unfortunately, find a bit of Gryffindor bravery and the right words to apologize to her before he could even touch her. She did not tell why she refused his advances that afternoon, but he did not need to know why, nor did he need to look into her mind.

The snow began to pick up as well as the wind, and Severus found himself sitting next to Hermione, holding her close to him for warmth. "Are you sure you have a ride?" he asked.

"I'm positive," replied his wife as her teeth clattered rather loudly.

Not a few minutes later did a black cap finally pulled into the drop-off drive of the train station. The driver rolled down the passenger window and smiled at the young woman. "Hermione Granger, is that you?" he asked with a smile.

"Of course, it's me, William!" she replied.

The old chubby man, about fifty-five years in age, stepped out of the car and greeted Hermione with a bear hug, much like those that Hagrid gave. "Oh, I haven't seen you for so long!" he said.

"Not since I left for school in August," added Hermione. "How have you been?"

"Same as before, child," answered William. "Your parents called my dispatcher for a cab driver to pick you up at the train station, although I was not told of the name. I thought you would have been home by now!"

"I normally arrive here from school around this time."

"You're right, and normally I do not pick up smart young ones like you and take them home. You have always been the only student from this particular school of yours in my cab."

"I know," said Hermione, "and it might be my last after you return me here next month."

"Why is that?"

The young woman shrugged her shoulders and looked at Severus, her brown eyes pleading for his permission. When he nodded his head slowly, she replied, "I am thinking about staying in the town where I go to school."

William glanced up at the Potions Master and asked, "Is he the reason why, Hermione?"

"Yes."

"Isn't he a wee bit older for you? I would expect to see you with a young intelligent man who can match that brilliant brain of yours."

Severus growled under his breath, but Hermione hushed him with a glare. "We are just… dating right now, William," she answered, silently thanking Merlin for the fact that her wedding ring was covered by her gloves as well as an invisible charm if she had decided to take off her gloves when others were present. "Besides, he is not too old for me."

"Is he one of your schoolmasters, Hermione?"

"No," she lied. "We met in a pub a few months ago, and he is very smart and perfect for me. He is a local resident around the town, owns a wonderful bookstore. I am one of his few customers who practically live there each visit. You do know me and my love for books."

"Of course I do, Hermione," replied William. "I'm just worried about your safety. Do your parents know about this?"

"Yes, they do," she lied once again. In truth, she was still afraid of their reaction of the sudden marriage, and not just any sudden marriage. "They are anticipating for our arrival."

"Then we must not delay them any longer!" said William as he took their luggage from their hands and put them in the trunk of the black cab. "Well, get in you two!" he laughed. "You must be turning into ice after waiting for me!"

"What took you so long?" asked Hermione as she slid into the passenger seat behind the cab driver with Severus sitting next to her.

"Traffic is back up near ol' Big Ben. They say that there was a huge accident due to ice!"

"Are we supposed to have a snow storm or something?"

"Already went through last night! Did you not hear about it?"

"No. Mum and Dad did not inform me of such," said Hermione with a smile, knowing that her parents would never warn her about the weather conditions since she and the other students had the ability to change anything against its will, even the laws of nature.

Ah, the advantages of being a witch, she mused to herself.

"Strange that they wouldn't," continued William as he drove out of the parking of the train station and head toward the north end of London. "And what's even more strange is that your train was the only one that was able to get to the station, Hermione. I was told many arrivals and departures – train, plane, or ship – were delayed by so many hours."

"I guess my train is big and mighty after all," giggled the witch.

"I guess so."

While Hermione continued to chat away with the cab driver, Severus was too busy looking out of his window, amazed at how much that particular part of the city had changed. It had been years, after all, since he had been at the train station, but back then he was a student, not a professor.

He had a funny feeling in his gut that his newlywed wife was going to take him out for some last minute Christmas shopping, and he would have to not only dress up as a Muggle, which he rarely did these days, but also surround himself with other Muggles and their Muggle inventions.

How nice, he thought bitterly to himself. He was afraid to even think what Hermione had in store for him regarding to his wardrobe.

At one point of their journey, the cab had to come to a complete stop right in front of a red light. Severus was still gazing out of his window, but his eyes found a familiar family restaurant and glowered in anger – Doc's Diner.

Hermione leaned over to see what her husband had his attention fixated on. "Do you know that place?" she asked.

"Let's just say that I remember a time when I wished I was not there," replied Severus dryly.

"Oh? Doc's Diner?" chirped William. "That place has been up for sale for the last several years, practically when I started to take Hermione home for holiday vacation."

"What happened?"

"The owner finally died after suffering a terminal disease, but rumor has it that he refused to serve a particular regular customer and her son decades ago because she was a witch."

Severus' eyebrows immediately rose upon hearing this, and his heart stilled all of a sudden. He listened to the rest of William's story, taking in each important detail from his account. "People say she cursed him when she found out that he fired a very nice employee for taking care of this family when no one else would, left him paralyzed and almost for dead. Ever since then, Eileen Snape and her family were never welcomed in that building again."

The Potions Master's right hand gripped the armrest on the cab door tightly as his body began to tense up, which caught Hermione's attention at the corner of her eye. "So, what did the curse do to the owner?" she asked.

"Deteriorated his health slowly and painfully, or so people say," answered William, gradually accelerating to the speed limit as the red light finally turned green. "As for Eileen, not many people liked her family – the Princes, that is – nor did they care for her husband Tobias. I heard what that sot did to her up until her death. I never knew what became of their son; I had assumed that Tobias had murdered him that night as well before taking his own life. Never heard anything about the kid again other than he had gone to a boarding school similar to yours. I imagine that if he were alive today, he would probably be about your beau's age."

Severus' face began to pale, his mind swirling with memories of his childhood that he had longed to forget, but he was able to regain his senses as he felt Hermione rubbing her right hand up and down his back, calming him down before he grabbed the driver's attention with his reaction.

Luckily William did not catch any of it from the rearview mirror.

The rest of the drive home was quiet for the three people in the black cab until it had finally pulled along the curb in front of a tan brick two-story house, obviously located in a rich suburban area of London. To Severus' dismay, his in-laws were already waiting for them as he found two luxurious black cars in the driveway in front of the garage.

"How lovely," he muttered with sarcasm dripping from every word.

"They are not that bad," retorted Hermione. "You might like them."

"We will see about that… _Miss Granger_," he countered, making sure his façade was up to par with Hermione's little game.

The witch simply smiled at him in return and playfully kissed his hooked nose before stepping out of the car. Rolling his eyes, he followed her and retrieved their baggage from the trunk with the help of William.

When he had slammed the trunk door hard in order for the lock to catch the latch, the driver turned to Hermione and gave her one last hug. "Are your parents going to take you and your boyfriend to the station in a few weeks?" he asked.

"Probably," she answered. "We will call you, otherwise."

"Happy Christmas, Hermione," said William. "The same to you, err…"

"Severus," the Potions Master replied with a small smirk. "Severus Snape."

"Yes, the same to you, Mr. Snape. Give your parents my regards, Hermione, dear."

"As always, William," said Hermione, waving her family friend goodbye. "Happy Christmas, William. Drive safe!"

William waved in return and sat in the warmth of his cab once more, driving a few blocks down into the snow. All of a sudden, he hit his brakes in the middle of the intersection, nearly sliding onto a patch of ice. His blue eyes widened as a thought struck him like a bat hitting the back of his head.

"Little Hermione Granger is dating Eileen Prince's boy?" he asked aloud.

Meanwhile, Hermione whipped her head toward the direction where William had drove off to upon hearing the sudden screech of tires on the road. "What was that?" she asked.

"Nothing," said Severus, hoping that his wife did not figure out why the cab driver made a noise like that.

But it was too late. "That could have been William, Severus! I cannot believe you told him who you were! If that man just had a heart attack, I swear I will hex you until the next century!" she scolded.

"Ah ah ah, Madame Snape," said Severus. "No hexing allowed. That would be considered as breaking school rules."

"I, for one, am an adult of eighteen years, nineteen if you count my third year, and secondly, I can hex you off of Hogwarts grounds," countered Hermione with a smirk.

Sighing in defeat, the Potions Master pinched the bridge of his nose, knowing that his smart little witch for a wife could see every loophole in his argument. "Can we stop with the bickering and just get this done and over with?" he groaned.

Hermione pressed the doorbell at the front door and turned to her husband. "We just cannot 'get this done and over with,'" she replied. "This is my family and yours too; since you have to spend the rest of your life with me, you might as well get used to the idea of dealing with Muggles for in-laws. And correct me if I am wrong, but are you not half-blood?"

On the other side of the door, Dr. John Granger was in the living room reading his copy of the _London Times_ as his wife Dr. Jane Granger finished the final touches of her chicken and noodle dinner, one of the few exported recipes she had received from her relatives in the United States, who also happened to be dentists as well. It was clearly obvious that Hermione was a splitting image of her back in her early years – brown eyed, bushy brown hair full of natural (and untamable) curls, and a curvy figure. From her tall yet average father, she had inherited his small nose and his thin lips.

Even up until now, they were still surprised to hear that their only child was a witch since she was very young. At first, they had taken her to psychiatrists and to the church priest for help, but as she grew up, they finally accepted her strange heritage for no one in either side of the Granger family had been known for practicing witchcraft or magic. Hermione's bizarre life helped explain her troubled situations in the public school corporation prior to her sudden acceptance letter from Hogwarts – she had the ability to heal people without using any form of science or technology and she had also achieved high marks in her studies compared to her peers. Just like Harry and Ron treated her in the first few months of her first year at Hogwarts, her Muggle classmates teased little Hermione, giving her titles such as "teacher's pet," "bookworm," and "nerd."

But witch or not, the two dentists were very proud of their little girl. They were even more proud, or rather disappointed at well, that her overgrown buckteeth in her fourth year had been charmed at a normal size. After all, it did take them almost forever to figure out how to fix her problem, but only magic could do the trick in the end, not their technology and tools.

They had even considered giving her braces, though they knew it would not do her any good other than straightening them.

And they could have not been prouder when they heard about her involvement in the final battle against Voldemort and the news that she was voted as Head Girl upon her return to Hogwarts to begin her seventh year. She had not only saved her family from death but also achieved a lifelong dream when she studied the history of the school from her favorite book since her first year.

"When is she supposed to be here, dear?" called John to wife.

"Any minute," replied Jane, who was looking forward to not only her little girl but also the mysterious guest she read about. I hope that Harry or Ronald likes what I made tonight, she thought with a smile.

Both of the dentists jumped upon the sound of the doorbell ringing from the front door. "I got it!" they called, but John was faster than his little wife, and beat her to the entrance within a second difference. "Ha!" he said, sticking his tongue out at Jane.

"Oh, do let her inside, John!" scolded his wife. "The poor children must be freezing to death!"

But what they saw when they opened the door were not children at all. Well, it was their grown-up baby girl, but to her mother's dismay, her companion was an older man, not Harry or Ron as she hoped.

"Hermione, darling, come inside!" greeted John with a big hug. "I missed you so much!"

"I missed you too, Dad," said Hermione as she pulled out of her father's embrace.

"And this… man is…?"

"Oh, that is my Potions professor, Dad. Dad, I would like you to meet Severus Snape. Professor Snape, this is my father Dr. John Granger and my mother Dr. Jane Granger."

"Professor Snape? That name rings a bell, dear," said Jane. "Care to refresh my memory?"

Leaning down to his wife, Severus asked sourly, "You told them about me?"

"They were curious," replied Hermione as she hung up her winter coat and scarf on a wooden peg next to the front door, taking Severus' coat and Slytherin scarf and placing his winter attire next to hers. "Professor Snape was one of the heroes for the Order in the war against… err, You-Know-Who."

"That evil wizard that would have gone after us?" inquired John as he led the couple into the living room for a seat near the Christmas tree.

"That would be the one. In fact, the professor served as a double agent between the two parties."

"Such a dangerous job!" exclaimed Jane, brining out teacups on a beautiful silver platter and offering two for Severus and Hermione. "Care for tea, Professor?"

"Yes, please," replied Severus.

"I hope you like it with mint. 'Tis Hermione's favorite."

"I do enjoy mint tea. Could I have please that with two small lumps of sugar?"

"Of course!" As she dumped two tiny sugar pellets into his teacup, Jane said, "But there is something else about you that bothers me a little bit. Hermione, correct me if I am mistaken, but did you not say this was the same man who murdered your headmaster?"

Severus nearly choked on his tea upon hearing those words, but his wife quickly calmed him down before he attempted to pull out his wand from his pocket, replying to her mother, "Yes, he did murder Dumbledore, but there was a reason behind that action and why he was cleared from all charges!"

"We are just worried about you, dear," assured John. "From the day you told us about his return years ago, your mother and I knew our lives were at stake. Had it not been for the Order, we would not be here with you right now."

"I know, Dad," said Hermione calmly. "But the professor has been on our side from the beginning, although he used to associate himself with He-Who-Shall-Not-Be-Named. That is why he was our spy for the Order."

"And when the Dark Lord learned that I was teaching at Hogwarts, he took it to his advantage to use me as _his_ spy as well," added Severus dryly. "As you have understood, my job during those times were stressful because I was working for not only an unusual lunatic for a headmaster but also for a sick dark wizard who could kill me if I did something wrong."

"Professor," began John, "my wife and I just need to know one thing for certain, so forgive me for intruding on your personal life, but when you did kill the headmaster, who ordered such command?"

Taking a sip from his teacup, Severus replied, "It is rather complicated, Mr. Granger. I had made an unbreakable vow with the mother of my godson, the wife of an old 'friend,' if you will. Her husband was serving time in Azkaban for an incident at the Ministry of Magic a few years ago that involved not only your daughter and her friends but also the Dark Lord. My godson was chosen to fill in his father's shoes in the high ranks and would earn that spot should he accept and fulfill a dangerous mission. Thus, he was assigned to murder Albus Dumbledore.

"That night, his mother and her sister came to my house in Spinner's End, the area in London where I live during the holidays, and asked me to step in should he fail to do so. Mind you, the mother was only protecting her only child. I agreed to do so, but once the two witches had left, I sought out Dumbledore and informed him of what had happened.

"Unfortunately," said Severus sadly, "the old wizard was already dying. During the battle at the Ministry, he was affected by some dark magic that he could not counter. Thus, his magic and his soul were being slowly sucked away by the Dark Lord. He told me… To kill him if my godson could not do it."

"So, in the end, you were commanded by both parties?" asked Jane.

"Yes," replied Severus. "After I used the killing curse on Dumbledore, I escaped Hogwarts and hid myself with the rest of _his_ followers, only to trick the Order into thinking that I was spying on them for _his_ benefit. But instead I indirectly helped kill the Dark Lord with Harry Potter in the final battle. I was still put on trial a few days later, and having proof that was left behind in Dumbledore's office and a particular potion that would force me to tell the truth, I was cleared from any possible charge against me. The same thing happened to my godson, and he was allowed to finish his final year at Hogwarts with your daughter.

"I, however," he paused bitterly, "was asked to return to my old position as being the Potions professor and I lost my Defense Against the Dark Arts job to a former rival who returned this year now that the war was over."

"You taught Hermione how to protect herself from dark magic?" asked John in amazement.

"Yes, I did. I had been wanting that position for a long time for I knew what the final battle would be like once Harry Potter became a student at Hogwarts," explained Severus. "I was strong in two areas of magic – potion making and dark arts. My mother was a witch in Muggle London and taught me how to protect myself since I was young. She too was an apt student under Professor Slughorn when he taught Potions back in her days, and so I had my first crash course in Potions before I turned eleven. As for my love for the dark arts, I studied them as a way of self-defense.

"It was weird that when Harry entered the castle that first day, the DADA position would suddenly be available every year. Not a single instructor stayed by the end of the spring term. The only reason Dumbledore promoted me was because he knew the final battle would occur in a matter of time, and he needed the students to be taught by an _actual_ expert how to protect themselves from the Death Eaters."

"Just how many students died in the end?"

"One of the Weasley twins was killed but there were only less than five students altogether," replied Severus. "Your daughter was very fortunate to get out of Bellatrix LeStrange's grasp alive."

"We remember," said Jane with a dangerous look in her eyes as she turned her attention to her daughter, who returned a sheepish grin to her mother.

"Pardon for my rudeness, Professor, but I assume there must be a reason why you are here with Hermione," said John. "We were told about a surprise, and my wife was expecting a wizard like Harry or Ronald to have Christmas with us. I mean our little girl must be dating someone, is she not?"

"I am with a wizard, Dad," assured Hermione.

"So, where is he?"

"He is here. He has been here since you let him into the house."

Looking at each other and then looking at the couple, the two dentists began to shake their heads in denial. "You cannot be seriously dating your professor, Hermione Jane Granger," said Jane. "I mean he is almost as old as us!"

"And she is not just dating me," said Severus, looking down at his wife. "I think it is time to tell them the truth, love."

"What truth?" asked John.

"Dad," began Hermione, "please do not try and kill Severus for this."

"Oh, it is Severus, now? Hermione Jane Granger, what is going on here that your mother and I are not aware of?"

"This is what is going on, Dad." Taking off the invisible charm on her left hand, she lifted her ring finger to show her parents the proof of her bond to the Potions Master. "I am sorry I did not inform you and Mum about this sooner," she whispered through tears.

Gasping at the wedding ring on her daughter's hand, Jane sobbed in her recliner heartbroken and shocked. John, on the other hand, took a big step backward as if he was hit by a gust of wind. He walked over to his wife and held her in his arms, soothing her and begging her to calm down.

"Mum, Dad, I need you now to give me the same understanding and the same acceptance that you gave to me when you learned that I was a witch a long time ago," begged Hermione.

"We'll try, Hermione," said John. "There is a reason behind this, right?"

"Yes," replied Severus. "The Dark Lord is not dead, and the wizard who was arrested at the Ministry broke out of Azkaban as well. He brought the Dark Lord back to life and also proposed a Marriage Law. He had his eye on your daughter and was her first suitor."

"But did you not say he was married?" asked Jane.

"He _was_, but his wife was ironically murdered that night."

"Who else tried to ask my daughter's hand in marriage?" asked John.

"Draco Malfoy, who is Severus' godson, Harry, and Ronald," replied Hermione. "As much as Draco has changed since the war, I still do not trust him, especially with his father out of prison. As for Harry and Ronald, I finally saw them as nothing more than just the brothers I never had. Even though I dated him, Ronald is not the wizard I need in my life right now; he is not…"

"Intellectually compatible?" chirped Severus with a smirk on his face.

"Yes, that is true," growled Hermione, glaring at her husband. "But I needed someone who is willing to accept my needs and my wishes, not throwing them aside and forcing me to live a life like his mother. I have dreams; I have goals. And you have always known that I am independent and I also get my way."

"But are you sure marrying Severus was a good idea?" asked Jane. "Hermione, you know what he is like, but to us, he still appears to be dangerous, innocent or not."

"Give him a chance, Mum, just like you did for me," pleaded Hermione. "That is all I ask. If you and Dad cannot accept the truth and force me to come back into your world, I am not afraid to go upstairs into my room and pack my bags, clean everything out to show that I was never your daughter and that I never existed in your life. Do you honestly want that?"

The two dentists looked at each other and sighed in defeat. They still had a lot to learn about the wizarding world and how it was governed, but they also did not want to lose their only pride and joy no matter how frustrating her kind was like to their society. The marriage to Severus worried them dearly, and it would take time to accept him after all that he had done. They were scared about being the in-laws of a dark wizard, but if what he had said was true, then perhaps they could be safe with him on their side.

"There is one thing that still bothers me, Hermione," said John. "Since _he_ is back, will Severus defend us if we are in serious danger?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger," began Severus, "your life is already in danger because of my marriage to Hermione. Had she chosen Lucius Malfoy like he had anticipated, you would probably be dead right now. I can offer you so much protection, but I will see to it that the Order steps in should your name come up in a lottery for the next killing sprees in Muggle London."

"You mean you personally cannot protect us?" asked Jane.

"As you know, I had to resume my job as a spy once again. My loyalties are masked as far as the Dark Lord is concerned."

"As long as we have the Order, I suppose we can trust your word, Severus," said John. "But your marriage is going to take a while for us to swallow."

Rushing over to her father with a big smile on her face, Hermione gave him a hug and said, "Thank you, Dad."

"I wish you could have told us about this, though," he said sternly. "You know you broke your mother's heart; she has always wanted to be a part of your wedding just as much as me, if not more."

"I know, Dad, but a letter can only explain so much."

"But you will always be our little witch, and we will always be proud of you, no matter what," he concluded with a kiss on her forehead. Walking over to Severus, he extended his right hand to the dark wizard. "Severus, welcome to the family."

"Likewise, Mr. Granger," said Severus coolly, taking the hand in a firm handshake.

"Let's drop the formalities, _professor_. Feel free to call me John."

"Well, I believe the chicken and noodles are getting cold right now," interrupted Jane. "Is anyone hungry for dinner?"

"I am famished!" said Hermione.

"Then, let's go to the kitchen!"

As the two dentists walked out of the living room, Hermione turned to Severus and asked, "Would you really protect Mum and Dad from _him_, even though what you said to Malfoy was different back at the station?"

"Hermione," began Severus, "it is clear that you mean so much to your parents. You know I never had much of a loving family like yours. And like you said, they are my family too. If the Dark Lord comes after them, they will be safe as long as I can get to them in time."

"What if you cannot? What if you are too late?" asked Hermione with tears forming in her eyes.

Wiping them away from her brown pupils, a small smile played on Severus' face. "I think we will worry about that bridge when we cross it. After all, we are here to celebrate Christmas with your family, not to talk about the future and what it has in store for all of us. And I am just as hungry as you are, probably hungrier than Mr. Weasley after a Quidditch match."

Laughing for once that evening, Hermione took her husband by the hand and led her to the kitchen table where Jane was serving the plates with her chicken and noodles dinner, hoping that her mother's cooking would put her doubts and insecurities to rest for now.

Wow, that was the longest chapter I have ever written to this date! I hope all of you enjoyed it as much as I did. Of course, the next few chapters will be focusing on Severus in London, and I have a nice surprise for my readers regarding to Chapter 20… I really think you will like it… Once I have written it.

Happy New Years to each and every one of you!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	20. Ch 20: I'm Afraid of Americans

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Disclaimer: If I did own Snape, I'd be one lucky girl. But I don't, nor do I own the others. JKR has that privilege. Lucky woman. As for the lyrics… The man behind NIN is bloody brilliant and bloody lucky to have such a bloody intelligent brain!

After getting over a severe case of writer's block, I decided to get off my ass and work on this chapter, despite of the fact the Christmas season is over, although there is another one around the corner, unless you are into the whole Christmas in July thing. Unlike the chapters in the past, I went ahead and used an entire song in this chapter, hence making it appear to be longer than it is. (According to my page count, it took me 30+ pages to write it!)

So to those who love NIN and HP dearly, this chapter is for you. And before anyone dares to argue with me, I am fully aware Mr. David Bowie wrote this song and performed it, BUT as we all know, Mr. Reznor produced it, remixed five out of the six versions, and even did additional vocals! So, in technical terms, it's a duet.

Besides, what other NIN-related song is appropriate for this chapter? Just replace "Americans" with "Muggles" and _voilà_!

Poor Severus. He has to deal with all those damn Muggles!

Chapter 20: I'm Afraid of Americans

That night at the dinner table, Hermione told her parents what had happened over the semester up until the Marriage Law was proposed, including her duties as Head Girl of Hogwarts. "And just this past week, I was offered two positions to do an apprenticeship," she concluded.

"Really? In which areas, dear?" asked Jane curiously.

"Charms and Transfiguration, of course. Professor Flitwick has been impressed with my charm skills since my first year, and the Headmistress believes that I would be a great Transfiguration professor when she decides to retire," explained Hermione.

"And why didn't you tell me this until now?" asked Severus with an arched eyebrow, taking a bite of his noodles.

"You never asked," replied his wife. "I assumed the staff would inform you. After all, they are nothing more than a bunch of gossipers, especially Madame Hooch and Professor McGonagall."

"I was never told such thing," said the Potions Master dryly. "However, I think you would be a good apprentice for me."

"You really think so?" asked Hermione, sitting somewhat in shocked. She knew that with her husband at the age of thirty-eight and the fact that no student, not even one from his own house, dared to even consider taking up an apprenticeship under his care, Severus had never consider the possibility of taking part in an apprenticeship program. He was, after all, the most dreaded, the least favorite, and the hardest teacher in Hogwarts to please.

So what were the chances of him going easy on an apprentice despite of certain circumstances? Not very good, thought Hermione, but a witch can dream.

"You are… adequate," answered Severus, noticing the flicker of hope in her brown eyes dissolve in an instant like shattered glass of a fallen mirror. Secretly, the sadistic side of him was taking great pleasure of this opportunity. After all, she was not only his wife, but also his student, a Gryffindor of all houses, and as always and forever will be, an insufferable know-it-all.

But not a moment too soon was he mentally hexing himself in the foot when he saw rage quickly filling those eyes. "Adequate? Adequate!" shrieked Hermione, stomping her foot and rising from her seat with her hands slamming hard onto the table. "By whose standards do you compare my hard work with in which you, my husband, have the nerve to say that I am 'adequate' enough to be your apprentice? Malfoy?"

"That is enough, Madame Snape!" roared her husband. "You are embarrassing everyone! Now calm down, witch, before I make you!"

She, on the other hand, huffed as she flopped back into her seat and blew a loose strand of brown hair from her face. "I'm sorry, Severus, but why would you ask me about me about an apprenticeship now rather than before?"

"I did not want to fill your head with silly thoughts of being closer to me despite of our marriage," explained Severus. "After all, you are still a child."

Before Hermione could argue, Jane quickly interjected in order to keep everything and everyone under control. "Hermione, dear, Severus is right," she said, her brown eyes looking at her new son-in-law in the form of a glare, almost like Minerva's but not as death threatening to Severus, "although I hardly think 'child' is the best choice of a word to describe you at the moment."

"Then would you care to explain about her little outburst just seconds ago, Jane?" asked Severus coolly. "I hardly think 'mature' is the best word to describe your daughter at any moment."

"You're treading on very thin ice, Severus. I suggest you choose your words wisely," warned Hermione before she ate the last of her noodles and began to work on her salad. "And to be honest with you, I think it's best if I was not your apprentice. It's already bad enough we were the talk of the school before we left, and who knows what other rumors could stir up if the students find out that I, your wife, chose your offer."

The Potions Master merely nodded and said before taking a sip of his mint tea, "Touché. The less amount of unnecessary and false chatter from the dunderheads, the best."

Dabbing her lips with her napkin, Jane stood up from the table and began to clean it off starting with her plate and silverware. "I personally don't know about any of you, but I'm finished with my dinner. Hermione, when you're done, would you care to help me with the dishes?"

"Yes, Mum," replied the witch as she took her final bite of her salad into her mouth, following her mother toward the sink.

Taking note of his daughter's departure, John turned to Severus and asked, "Since we're finished as well, why don't we go to the living room and let the women clean up our mess?"

"Wise idea, John," said Severus, following his father-in-law out of earshot from the hotheaded females of the Granger household.

Sighing in relief, Jane broke the silence between her and her daughter. "Despite of his hard and dominant exterior, he's a good man, Hermione," she began. "He is certainly a hero, has one bloody future, and a brilliant mind."

Hermione nodded her head in response but replied in a bitter tone, "But he's not Ronald, and he never will be. You have been rather stingy about it since I broke the news to you."

"He might not have had his head where it needed to be, but, yes, I'm upset that you found somebody to replace him."

"I did not replace him, Mum!" argued Hermione. "I just cannot see myself with someone like him right now! Both he and Harry have a lot of maturing to do, and from what I have read, it takes years for a man to reach maturity! Of course, there are exceptions like Dad…"

"He never did grow up, especially when he found out that I was pregnant for you," giggled Jane. "He swore to me that he would spoil you to death, even though I told him not to. But he did it out of love, Hermione.

"Your father and I just want what is best for you, but you are an adult and we can't force you to come back to us, even though we would love to have you around more often. I mean you're now stuck in the wizarding world for good."

"Not necessarily," objected Hermione.

"Hermione, let's face it. I don't see Severus as someone who would like to live among… Muggles like your father and me."

"You're right," sighed the witch in defeat. "The sad thing is I'm so goal-oriented, but I don't know what I want to do with my life. I could teach, but I'm afraid I would become just another 'Snape' in some students' eyes. You know how bossy and mean I can get, Mum, especially with my performance at dinner tonight."

"Of course, dear," replied Jane with an assuring smile. "Are you scared that the children will not like you?"

"That is the exact reason why I will not go into teaching."

"And you are not meant to be… Uh, what do you call them? An Auror?"

"No, that's up Harry's alley. And certainly not a Quidditch player; that's for Ronald."

"Well, why not go for a job similar to those here in the Muggle world, like office work! Is there some place where you can be a secretary or something?"

"The Ministry of Magic," replied Hermione glumly.

"There's a start!" exclaimed Jane.

"But I feel that I was meant to do something better, Mum. Something other than going to work five days a week sitting in front of a magical typewriter, answering phone calls left to right, and dealing with scandals concerning about the Minister and his female staff just like any CEO or lawyer in the Muggle world."

"Well, you're right about that, dear. You're too fierce to have an ordinary job like that."

"Thanks for the compliment, Mum," smirked Hermione.

"Any time. But maybe Severus can offer you that apprentice position for him, even though you're not in favor of it," suggested Jane. "Think about it, Hermione. You would be strong in three areas of magic, three _essential_ areas of magic. You could do something more with your life, perhaps a Potions Mistress yourself.

"But there is always being a housewife if you choose to go that route."

"You mean another Molly Weasley?" retorted Hermione.

"Well, I didn't mean to put it that way, but I suppose so."

"Mum, it's bad enough I have to have children so soon, nearly a year from now! I don't want to have huge family like hers! And I seriously doubt Severus will want so many children running around."

"But I think he would like them!"

"You don't know Severus like I do. In fact, I think it is best if we had only one child. I mean we both are the only children in our families, and he doesn't come across me as a man who wants to have children in the first place, especially after what he had gone through."

"What exactly has he gone through?" asked Jane in a worried voice.

Taking a deep breath, Hermione replied, "Let's just say that while you and Dad loved me for a long time, his family was rather… _dysfunctional_."

"He's been abused, hasn't he?" asked Jane without missing a beat.

"Yes."

"Well, Hermione," began her mother calmly, "I want you to know that even though Severus is old enough to be your second father and that he has a history linked with You-Know-Who, your father and I will do our best to love him as if he was our own son. I have this feeling that he is in need for a father figure or an older man to guide him."

"He did have one, Mum," said Hermione.

"Who was it, dear?"

Turning to Jane, the witch replied with a frown on her face, "Dumbledore."

Meanwhile in the living room, Severus and John sat on the opposite ends of the couch, holding a small conversation with one another. "You love my little witch, don't you?" asked John.

"So it would seem," replied his son-in-law dryly. "To be honest with you, John, I care for her and I do my best to protect her, but I personally don't think love is necessarily the feeling I have for Hermione."

"Then what do you have, if I may inquire?"

"I'm not certain. Even to this day, I still wonder why she chose me over her four suitors that came before me, including her two dunderheads for friends."

"It would seem that Hermione didn't have any other choice in the matter," said John. "I know it takes a long time for love to settle into your heart…"

"Yes," said Severus.

John turned his attention to the Potions Master, noticing that the younger man had his head hanging and his black eyes looking down at his lap. "Your love belongs somewhere else, doesn't it?" he asked.

Severus' head snapped up and quickly whipped toward the dentist. "What did you say?" he asked.

"Don't play coy with me, Severus," said John. "I might be older than you by a few good years, but I know the feeling of love, especially after marrying a wonderful lady like Jane and raising an amazing daughter like Hermione. I have seen men your age who tie themselves down to the wrong woman and then seek out for the right one at the same time, leaving that marriage in a mess. Now tell me, who is she?"

"Why would you care?" retorted the Potions Master crossing his arms over his chest. "It was a one-sided love that was a long time ago."

"I care because you deserve happiness, Severus," replied John. "It seems that this woman meant a lot to you."

"She was the only person who ever cared for me, other than Dumbledore," whispered Severus. "We grew up in the same neighborhood in Spinner's End, and before our first year at Hogwarts, I found out that she was a witch, a Muggle-born like Hermione. She was beautiful, brilliant, and understanding. Truly a heart of gold…"

"She loved another, didn't she?" asked John.

Severus nodded his headed. "The man who would become the father of The-Boy-Who-Lived-To-Be-A-Pain-In-My-Arse," he muttered.

"You mean Harry Potter?"

"No, Ron Weasley. Of course, Potter!"

"No wonder you have such a grudge against the poor boy. Hermione told me how much you disliked him."

"Only because Potter took up the arrogance and the brain of his dimwitted father. The only reason why I saved his arse a few times was because I made a promise to Albus that I would protect the boy when he was accepted into the school."

"Why couldn't his parents do that? Why you?"

A single tear escaped from his left eye as Severus replied, "I made that promise to Albus the night I learned the Potters were to be killed because of a prophecy I overheard from another faculty member of the school and then told the Dark Lord. I killed my best friend, and I must protect Potter for the sake of his mother."

John sat at his end of the couch speechless yet in amazement from hearing his son-in-law's sad tale. "You really loved her," he finally croaked out.

"Yes."

"And where does my daughter come into this?"

"She is much like Lily Potter each time I see her, though they were quite different in appearance. Hermione is smart, motherly, and a Muggle-born. She might not have the green eyes and the red hair of my friend, but she has the heart and bravery of her. She is also like me in some ways, John. I was told she had a difficult time making friends growing up."

"That is true," said John with a sigh. "Hermione excelled in everything pertaining to her education and always looked for a challenge. Her peers thought of her as a stuck up bookworm and gave her all the work they had to do no matter which group she ended up in. Nobody wanted her to be on their intramural team during recess, and nobody certainly wanted to be her friend.

"I know she comes off very strong and very defensive, but that's because of what she had to go through for years, Severus. She had always kept her guard up after her mother and I taught her how to defend herself."

The Potions Master nodded his head in agreement and said, "I understand where she is coming from. I hated going to school up until I was eleven and boarding the Hogwarts Express for the very first time. I was teased for being a know-it-all as well as a 'weirdo.' No one understood why I was different, but I had that aura that I was. Then when the parents of my classmates learned of my family, I was teased even more.

"I never told my father what the other kids said to me at school or did to me at recess, being the butt of their pranks and childish jokes. Only my mother knew, and she was the only person to tell me why."

Tilting his head to the side, John asked softly, "Your mother was a witch?"

Severus nodded his head and replied, "My mother was Eileen Prince; my father was Tobias Snape, a Muggle man from London."

"Interesting," murmured the male Dr. Granger. "I think I have heard of them before, but I don't remember where."

Before Severus could speak up, Hermione and Jane walked into the living room with Hermione and Severus' luggage in their hands. "I apologize, Severus, but John and I have had a long day preparing for Hermione's return, and I feel slightly tired," said Jane with a small yawn. "Hermione will show you her room since the spare bedroom is being used for storage."

"Very well, Jane. I wish you and your husband a good night's rest." Standing up from his side of the couch and walking behind his little wife, Severus trudged up the staircase to his new destination, muttering something about how small and narrow the steps were. "I certainly hope you are not one for pink or something very pastel, Madame Snape," he said wearily. "You don't strike me as such."

Hermione tenderly smiled as she opened the door to her childhood bedroom. "Don't worry, Severus. I'm not like most girls my age, actually."

The couple walked into the white room and Severus took in his surroundings, which was filled with bookshelves of none other than books and encyclopedias. Somewhere in her little library, there were a few magical textbooks – mostly those of charms, transfiguration, and, yes, potions – that Hermione had kept over the years in times of great measures. On her white desk was a new Hewlett Packard computer that she got from her parents for her eighteenth birthday (nineteenth if one counted the time-turner) that September with a little printer to the side. To his surprise, Severus found not so many pictures floating around except for the one next to the computer of her, Harry, and Ron from the issue in the _Daily Prophet_ when it was announced that Voldemort was finally dead. There were also a few posters of the current popular actors such as Johnny Depp and Leonardo DiCaprio pinned on her walls.

The only thing that Severus did not like about his sleeping arrangement was an old stuffed lion, the same toy that he saw in Hermione's memory, sitting on her bed in front of her pillows dressed in a red knitted sweater with a giant gold "G" in the center, obviously made by Molly Weasley.

Bloody Gryffindors, he sneered to himself.

"Severus, you could hang your clothes in the closet if you wish," said Hermione as she began to unpack her bags. "It's mostly empty since I took a lot of outfits to school with me this year."

"Thank you, Hermione." Severus did not think about what lied on the other side of the white wooden door, but when he opened it, he let out a small scream and pulled his wand out of his frock coat pocket. "Hermione Snape! Why do you have a giant picture of me being blindfolded and bounded in your closet?" he yelled.

Laughing out loud, his wife walked over and lowered his hand down toward his side. "That's just a poster, you silly man, and besides, why would I have an image of you like that in my closet anyway, let alone any image of you?"

"You mean that's not me?" asked Severus, raising his eyebrow in suspicion.

Hermione shook her head with a smile on her lips. "No, dear. Just someone who looks a lot like you. That man is actually a rock star from America. He's a bloody brilliant songwriter, although I have yet to see him in London."

"Does he not travel to England?"

"He has before, but most of the time I was either at school or I was too young to go. His shows are rather loud and dangerous for a young girl. My parents won't even go with me because 'he's a bad influence' for my sake, or so they say."

"I see," he said, his black eyes wandering down to the other black and white poster beneath the questionable image. This poster had the same man but now dressed in a dark turtleneck and black pants sitting cross-legged on the side of a bed with a cigarette dangling in his right hand.

"May I ask which band he is associated with?" asked Severus as he began to hang up his outfits, which were mostly black with white shirts, not so much to Hermione's surprise. "I might happen to know the name, being half-blood and all."

"I know this is going to sound silly since you were probably teaching Hogwarts by then, but have you ever heard of the group Nine Inch Nails?" asked Hermione.

"I'm afraid not. Not to mention, in my opinion, that name sounds rather stupid. Who would name a band Nine Inch Nails?"

"Obviously, this guy did," retorted Hermione. "I think you would like his music. It's… Interesting and very dark, kinda reminds me of you."

"In what way?" asked Severus with a raised eyebrow.

"If you have ever listened to his last album, you would understand. He is releasing a new one next year, and I really want it. I was told it's a 2-CD set." Closing her suitcase and sliding it underneath her bed, Hermione walked by her husband and reached for the bathrobe hanging on the door of her closet. "Now if you would excuse me, Mr. Snape, I am going to soak for a bit and get ready for bed."

"Don't take too long," said Severus with a smirk. "You don't want to end up looking like a prune like McGonagall."

His only response was a glare from his wife as she huffed away into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her.

Twenty minutes later, she opened the door wearing only her bathrobe, her chestnut hair still wet from her bath. She found Severus lying in her bed shirtless and in his black boxers while reading his latest copy of _Potions Weekly_ with Crookshanks curled up at his feet. "I never knew you were a cat lover," she teased as she watched him occasionally pet her orange furry familiar with his toes. "I always thought of you more in favor toward snakes and crows."

Severus looked up from the pages and scowled at the young Gryffindor. "Just because I was sorted into Slytherin does not mean I like snakes," he said coolly. "Mind you I am a spy for one. As far as crows are concerned, I prefer ravens to those greasy mean things. Hence, why I have one, and yet I am not Head of Ravenclaw."

Suppressing a laugh from her lips, Hermione simply smiled as she walked to her dresser and opened the second drawer from the top, pulling out the skimpy emerald and gold silk nightgown Ginny had given to her as a wedding gift. "I still fail to see why you're all about the houses. It's as if you think all Gryffindors are evil," she exasperated.

"Personal experience, Madame Snape," said Severus, flipping a page in his magazine. His black eyes looked up nearly a moment later when he saw his wife's bare back facing him as she slid the nightgown over her nude body. Even though she was not facing him while dressing herself, her well-rounded arse was good enough to give her sour husband a nasty erection in his boxers. "Damn it," he mumbled, accidentally kicking Crookshanks in this side and causing the cat to meow angrily.

Hermione turned around and watched Severus' jaw drop and his eyes glaze with lust. "And just for the record, do you think of me as being evil?" she asked innocently.

For once in his life, as far as he could remember, the Potions Master was speechless. Here he was sitting on the bed of his wife's childhood home with said wife standing at the foot of the bed wearing a dark green nightgown with gold lace trimmings, clinging onto ever curve of her small body, and her hair damp from taking a bath. Evil, he thought. Oh, how could she not ask me that question when she's tempting me to take her right now and I'm getting hard every time I look at her wearing that? Damn little minx!

He gulped as she pulled out a matching thong and slid it on to cover her haven from his touch. "Now _that_ is evil, wife," he hissed as he felt his erection grow even more. "You bloody well know that I'm dying over here just by looking at you!"

Hermione had that enticing siren's smile on her lips and slid into bed next to her sexually frustrated husband. She noticed from the corner of her eyes that Crookshanks took it as his cue to exit the room and to curl up against her parents instead. Once the cat had walked out and headed toward the master's bedroom, Severus wandlessly closed the door behind the furball. "That should keep him out for the night," he purred, pulling his wife toward him for a kiss.

But her finger stopped him from proceeding to the next step. "I'm sorry, Severus, but on behalf of my parents' request because I love them, no sex as long as they are home."

So much for a goodnight shag, he thought bitterly, his massive erection now deflating. "Fine," he growled as he turned onto his side facing away from Hermione. Then an idea popped into his head and rolled over to the other side where his wife was reaching for the lamp next to the bed. "Does this mean we can do it when they are not home?" he asked.

"It's going to be hard to do that, dear," giggled Hermione as she turned off the light. "I need to do some Christmas shopping tomorrow, and my parents thought it would be best if you went with me so you wouldn't be home alone with just Crooks to keep you company. Mum and Dad are going to mass tomorrow and there's a special Christmas Sunday gathering after church, so they won't be home for a good few hours, which makes it the perfect time to finish up my shopping for them."

"You mean to tell me that I'm going to be surrounded by dunderhead Muggles?" groaned Severus, pinching the bridge of his hooked nose.

"Dad thinks it's best for you to get out and enjoy life. Besides, you'll be with me and only me, not with my friends and me."

"Joy," said Severus sarcastically.

"And Mum and Dad are closing their office this week to observe the holiday week, so they're going to be on vacation for a few days, and, well, since I am home, they're going to stay around as much as they can until we leave for Hogwarts," added Hermione.

"How nice," muttered the Potions Master.

Hermione frowned and snuggled into her husband. "Honestly, Severus, stop being a sour puss," she scolded. "Just because I'm not letting you get any does not mean you have to take your frustration out on me. I'm just respecting my parents' wishes, and you should too."

"Well, how would you feel if you were me sleeping next to a good-looking and intelligent witch that's tempting you beyond control, and you can't even touch her?" inquired Severus with an arched eyebrow. "Speaking of not being able to touch you, when was the last time you had gone through your cycle?"

Hermione looked up at him with a blush on her cheeks. "It's a girl thing, Severus. That's none of your concern," she said hastily.

"Oh, but I think it is, wife," he countered. "You see, I need to know when I can touch you and when I cannot, and given the fact that I was able to come inside you for once, we both need to know if I was able to impregnate you."

Hermione blanched, remembering the catch to the short-lived Marriage Law. "Must you remind me of being a young mother?" she grumbled.

"Well, are you going to tell me?" asked Severus. "I don't have all millennium, you know."

"Well, if you must know, I had my period at the beginning of this month just in time before the wedding," huffed the brunette witch, crossing her arms over her chest. She looked up at the Potions Master who was gazing down at her now enlarged breasts for her arms were folded right underneath the small globes. "Stop staring at me like that," she said. "You're making me uncomfortable."

"Have you ever had a pregnancy test done before, Madame Snape?" he asked.

"In case you have forgotten, husband, I was a virgin going into this marriage. Why would I need to do a pregnancy test?" asked Hermione.

"Will you stop acting like a spoiled brat?" growled Severus.

"Only if you will stop acting like a bastard," retorted Hermione. "I know how the tests are given in the wizarding world; I have read all about them, but I never needed one before until now, I guess." Lifting up her nightgown to revel her navel, she laid back on her pillow and sighed. "I'm waiting!" she said impatiently.

"Bloody Gryffindors indeed!" Severus reached over her and grabbed his wand next to her digital alarm clock. When his gaze met his wife's, he could have known he had seen a threatening look in her eyes. "I'm just checking to see if our first attempt was a success or a failure, nothing more. Relax," he said calmly.

Placing the wood tip near her belly button, he whispered an incantation to begin the test. The tip glowed a white aura and continued to remain white as he moved his wand around her belly. Hermione silently pleaded for the light to change color, hoping that the first time around would be the last.

But to both of their dismay, the result came up as negative. "Great," he muttered, placing his wand back on the bedside table next to Hermione. "So it would seem that we will have to wait until we get back to Hogwarts to try again."

"Yeah," muttered Hermione sadly, turning away from Severus and snuggling into her pillows, emitting a soft yawn. "Goodnight, Severus."

"Goodnight. Hermione," he answered, turning onto his side facing opposite of his wife. He closed his black eyes, but sleep did not come easily for the Potions Master. He listened to the silence in the room that lingered in the air until he finally heard the light snoring of the woman next to him only moment later.

Slowly turning over, he saw that Hermione had fallen into the arms of Morpheus for the night. He carefully snaked his right arm over her waist and pulled her against him so his head rest in the mess of brown curls behind her and his hooked nose touching the base of her neck.

And they stayed like that for the rest of the night.

Usually, Severus was the early riser of the two given his obligation at Hogwarts. He begins his morning routine at 6:00 with a quick shower, though the once-washed oily substance in his hair would find its way back to his black strands before the morning was over, a decision of which outfit to wear under his teaching robes, usually the same black frock coat with a matching pair of trousers and a crisp white linen shirt underneath but designated for each particular day of the week, a quick overview of his lesson plans, nowadays with little or no change in the agenda, and by 7:00, he is sometimes seen in the halls making the first morning patrols throughout the building, just in time for breakfast at 8:00 where he usually met Hermione at the Great Table with the Headmistress and the rest of the Hogwarts faculty.

But being Christmas vacation and being in a foreign place other than his home in Spinner's End, Severus found himself waking up at 9:00 the next morning as the sun rose higher into the dreary sky. Opening one black eye, he noticed that a peculiar side of the bed was cold and empty. Opening the other, he rolled onto his back and deeply sighed, remembering how nice it was to have someone in his arms who, somehow, meant something to him.

He took a breath, inhaling the strange scent of… coffee, he thought. Hermione must be downstairs.

Kicking the sheets away from him, he stepped out of the bed and found a black flannel robe hanging on the white desk chair with a note in the front right pocket sticking out for him to read:

_This used to be Dad's old robe before I was born. I'm fairly sure it fits you given your height._

_H._

"How considerate," he mumbled to himself, slipping the soft fabric over his lanky shoulders and tying the belt at his waist. He slipped out of the bedroom and walked down the carpeted staircase, only to find his wife, already dressed and ready for the day, sitting at the table with a cup of coffee in her hands. "I never knew you were one for coffee," he smirked, mirroring the same glint in his eye like the one she had upon asking him about being a cat lover the night before.

"Popular to the contrary belief, I don't drink coffee that often," said Hermione with her chin stuck out to mock her husband. "I only drink it when I'm home, and I know I should stop."

"Bad for the teeth?" chuckled Severus as he walked to the coffee maker next to the sink.

Hermione smiled when she heard the low rumbling from his throat. He needs to laugh more often, she told herself. It makes him more… attractive. "Actually, bad for the health," she corrected.

"I was only joking," assured the Potions Master, pouring himself a cup of just straight black coffee.

"I know you were, but coffee does not help with the whitening of the teeth," said Hermione in a matter-of-fact tone. "The funny thing is my parents are addicted to this stuff, and they're dentists!"

She watched Severus, who was still standing in front of the counter, gulp down his entire mug clean in a matter of seconds. Widening his eyes and blinking them a few times, he looked down into his mug and asked his wife, "Why does this coffee taste so different than back at Hogwarts?" he asked.

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and took her last sip from her cup. "Probably because my parents are Muggles and they use filtered water," she said. "I heard that most of the water in the wizarding world is neither totally purified nor very technological advanced compared to the Muggle world."

"And there's definitely a distinction compared to the water at my home," observed Severus.

"When will I see it?" asked Hermione.

"See what? My house?" asked Severus.

"Yes."

The wizard frowned and rinsed out his mug in the sink. "I'm not sure if I plan to go back there before our holiday is over," he replied.

"You don't _want_ to go back," corrected Hermione. "I'm sure there must be some bad memories within those walls."

"There… are," said Severus coolly.

"Have you ever thought about selling it?" asked the witch.

Severus nodded his head. "Yes, but I'm afraid there is much to be done before I can talk to the real-estate agents," he said. "After all, I cannot leave evidence of my heritage to another Muggle family, can I?"

"So, you have a floo network in your house?" asked Hermione.

"And an apparation point too," added Severus. "Mind you, when I continued to spy for the Dark Lord years ago, Death Eaters made quite a few trips to my summer home, one of which was Bellatrix and her sister Narcissa. And that nasty rat Wormtail lived with me so the Dark Lord would not suspect that I was up to something. As much as I wanted to get rid of the snake himself, my hands were tied as long as his trustful servant was under my roof."

"Obviously, it must be very quiet now," said Hermione.

"How astute you are, Madame Snape," said Severus with a roll of his eyes.

And obviously, he's not a morning person, thought Hermione bitterly.

After Hermione washed both mugs and put them away in the cabinet with the other mugs, glasses, and dishes, she said to her husband, "I'm ready when you are."

"You're leaving now?" asked Severus, arching on eyebrow.

"Well, the mall will be opening soon, and it's on the other side of the city," explained Hermione.

"I see," said Severus. "In any case, I will be ready in five minutes."

But just as he was at the foot of the staircase, he heard Hermione call to him from the kitchen, "And will you be taking a shower any time soon?"

Sighing in defeat, he answered, "Yes, I will do that first, _Mother_."

Hermione heard him grumble under his breath, sighing exasperatedly at his lack of hygiene habits. "May I remind you we are going to be around people, Severus?" she asked.

"You mean _dunderheads_?" corrected Severus, slightly slamming the bathroom door behind him.

Laughing to herself, Hermione shook the cascade of hair around her face and turned to Crookshanks, who was eating some of his dinner that the dentists had left for him in his food dish. "Whatever am I going to do with him, Crooks?" she asked, bending down to pet the purring orange cat under her fingertips.

Ten minutes later, Severus marched downstairs to meet his wife right outside the door wearing her coat, mittens, scarf, and sock cap for it was slightly snowing outside. "I'm ready," he said.

The next thing he knew, he watched the young witch giggling uncontrollably behind her left mitten. "What is it about me that you find so amusing, Madame Snape?" he asked.

"Severus, this is not the wizarding world," said Hermione as she looked him up and down for a close inspection. Sure enough, her husband was dressed in his favorite black outfit minus his robes. "This will surely not do."

"Well, what do you propose to fix this problem you apparently have about me?" sneered Severus. "Did you not pass your Transfiguration finals?"

"Are you sure you want me to transfigure your outfit?" asked Hermione, pulling out her wand from her purse and waving it between her thumb and forefinger.

"You seemed dead serious about a change," said Severus.

"You asked for it," said the witch. "Let's see... This coat has too many buttons, as much as I like your little fetish, and the pants… Well, I can say the same about them, so…" With a few flicks of her wand, Hermione had transfigured her husband's old-fashioned outfit into a more modern-day Muggle trend. No longer was he wearing his frock coat nor his long black trousers. Instead, for the sake of the cold weather outside, he had on a nice black turtleneck and a pair of black jeans, although he was still wearing his favorite pair of black boots.

"I must say, you have a thing for putting black on me," said Severus after giving himself a close examination of his new wardrobe.

"You don't like black?" asked Hermione.

"I like black," replied the Potions Master, "but I also prefer green or silver, if you must know."

"It's just that I only see you in black, other than the white shirt you wear as well." Handing him a transfigured black leather coat as well as his Slytherin scarf, the witch locked the house for her parents and led him to the garage where her family left her new car waiting for her inside since August.

After opening the giant garage door behind the car, both wizard and witch took their respective place in the vehicle, the witch adjusting the mirrors and her seat to her liking. "And I'm sorry if my driving is a little rough, but it has been a while since I have driven a car," she said apologetically, starting the engine and slowly backing into the street.

"It's no different than riding a broom," said Severus. "Speaking of which, when will you ever going to get over your fear of flying?"

"Maybe I will, maybe I won't," she said as she straightened the wheels of the car and put the gear into drive. "There is a difference between a car and a broom. For one, a car is bigger and more secure than a broom. I don't have to worry about heights as long as I'm in a car."

"That is on the ground," added her husband, indirectly reminding Hermione of the flying car stunt Harry and Ron pulled when they moved back to Hogwarts for their second year of school.

She nodded her head sadly as thoughts about her two friends and Ginny crept into her mind. "Yes, one that is on the ground," she said.

_Johnny's in America_

_Low-techs at the wheel_

The drive to the mall, much to both Severus and Hermione's surprise, was smooth and fairly quick as she pulled into an empty spot in the parking garage forty-five minutes later. The structure had filled up so fast during the first hour of operations, the Snapes had to park on the third floor, one floor below the skywalk where they could enter they mall.

Everything was going fine up until Hermione put her right arm behind her back and pressed the door lock on the remote control of her keychain, causing Severus to jump at the sound of the beep. "What was that?" he asked his wife.

"Just the car letting me know that the car was lock from where we were," she explained, dangling the remote in front of him. "Most cars come with a keypad like this these days. Each car has a unique computer chip or a scanner for these remotes, almost like the remote controller for TVs."

Pointing the keypad at the car, she pressed the unlock button, and Severus not only noted the flashing of the lights but also the sound of the door being unlocked from a good distance. "Amazing," he murmured.

"I know," sighed Hermione, hitting the lock button once again. "As long as the sensor is working for both car and remote, you can do wonders with this little thing. And it won't work on other cars, just yours."

"Just don't let Arthur Weasley get a hold of that contraction," warned Severus.

"Why do you say that?" asked the witch.

"Think about it, Hermione. If such chips can secure a car, what about broomsticks?" he inquired, walking briskly to the enclosed elevators on the other side of the floor.

"He would certainly be rich," muttered Hermione under her breath, almost running to catch up with her husband.

Together, they rode the elevator up one floor, Severus watching the outside scenery from the other side of the glass. Once the carriage came to a complete stop on the fourth floor, he followed his wife as she escorted him out of the elevator and to another set of doors that led to the skywalk between the parking garage and the mall on the other side of the street below them.

_No one needs anyone_

_They don't even just pretend_

The crowd of people bustled about them on the bridge, one massive group entering the mall, the other, though much smaller, leaving the mall. Hermione instinctively took him by the hand as if he was a little boy so he would not get lost in a sea of Muggles. In truth, he was not disgusted by this gesture; no, in fact, he actually liked her touch, even if it was just holding hands while walking, or more like running, through the crowd.

"I'm sorry for taking you along this ride," giggled Hermione when she saw over her shoulder Severus' expression on his face.

"Just slow down, silly girl," said her husband while he was trying to stop himself from being dragged behind. "Where do you need to go?"

"Well, Mum asked for a collection of jazz music, so we need to go to Musicland first," said Hermione as she began to ramble off what she needed to look for. "And then Dad wants to read the new book about this American golfer named Tiger Woods, and, oh, yes, my aunt Jean, Mum's twin sister, and her family are coming over for Christmas for lunch, so I need to buy something for all of them, or at least something for the adults and something for the children…"

"You can't be serious!" groaned Severus. "It'll take you hours, especially if we are looking for books!"

"I'm just going in and going out, that's all," assured Hermione with a smile.

Somehow, Severus had a feeling that would not be the case knowing his Hermione. Wait, he thought, _my_ Hermione? Since when did she become _my_ Hermione?

But the Potions Master could not help himself from looking at teenagers about his wife's age had she not used the time turner in her third year. Colored mohawks of bright green, purple, blue, and pink, clothing following the gothic, punk, and skater fashion scenes, and public display of affection among not just heterosexual couples but also homosexual couples, not that he truly had anything against homosexuality, given the fact that his mentor once had a male lover… Everything that had been once considered as taboos in his childhood was now accepted in Hermione's generation.

And much to his surprise, children as young as seven years old were walking around without any parent or guardian to watch them. Had his mother left him alone in the shopping center at that age, Eileen Snape would have been severely punished for child negligence.

_Johnny's in America_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_I'm afraid of the world_

_I'm afraid I can't help it_

_I'm afraid I can't_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_I'm afraid of the world_

_I'm afraid I can't help it_

_I'm afraid I can't_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_Johnny's in America_

"Times have surely changed in Muggle London," murmured the wizard, although he was still loud enough for the witch holding his hand to hear.

"You can thank not only the media and the young stars but also MTV," said Hermione.

"MTV?"

"A music television network."

"A channel that plays music?" asked Severus with a perplexed expression on his harsh face.

"Music videos, actually," corrected Hermione, "but there are some shows that deal with reality and teenage drama as well. Something that people of my generation enjoy watching. And I thought you lived in Spinner's End during the holiday."

"I do, but you have understand that my neighborhood was not the best in the city, nor was it ever the most technological advanced, as you have put it," explained Severus. "Other than the factories down the street, it was rather… old-fashioned, if you will."

"I see," said the witch. "That would explain why you seem to be out of it with all this technology and change around you."

"Not 'out of it,' Madame Snape; just surprised," said the Potions Master.

"And one more thing," began Hermione as they stopped in front of Musicland. "Drop the whole 'Madame Snape' formality, Severus. This is not the 19th century nor are we at Hogwarts. It really sounds old, to be frank."

"Very well, Hermione," replied her husband, following Hermione's lead into the music store.

_Johnny wants a brain_

_Johnny wants to suck on a Coke_

_Johnny wants a woman_

_Johnny wants to think of a joke_

Severus did have an eclectic taste of music, both Muggle and wizard. Living in Spinner's End up until his first year at Hogwarts and during his summer vacation, he was raised on the hippie sounds of the Beatles (both as a group and going on their separate ways), the Rolling Stones and famous rockers such as David Bowie, AC/DC, and Alice Cooper, although he was heavily into Bowie by his seventh year. On the other hand, his mother insisted that he took up a talent in the arts and self-taught young Severus to play the piano, thus teaching him the appreciation of Beethoven, Mozart, and Bach, and, on the modern day scale, Elton John and Billy Joel, although the latter was not British.

Obviously, he had kept this a secret from his classmates, his colleagues, his students, and even his wife. He was sure Hermione would be in for a surprise when they would visit his house together for the first time.

But just as he had suspected, his favorite music artists were no longer popular with the younger generation, although their idols would speak of earlier influences from Severus' days. With Christmas of 1998 approaching around the corner, the entertainment world was preparing for the release of new albums, including the forthcoming Spice Girls album that was rumored to be released after the new year. However, instead of the album being pre-ordered, teenage girls were standing in line in front of two cash registers to pre-order ticket sales for the huge London concert on New Year's Eve.

"What seems to be the big deal?" asked Severus, whispering to his wife in case someone thought of him as being crazy.

"One of Britain's biggest girl pop groups is going to play a concert for New Year's, and everyone is hyped about it," explained his wife. "The Spice Girls are now the biggest thing in Britain's music scene, and every girl wants to be just like them."

"Well, you certainly don't seem interested," observed her husband.

"They seem too… overrated," shrugged the brunette. "Just like those boy bands in America these days."

Pulling out her list of things to buy, she looked at her mother's name and noticed that she had written "jazz collection for office" next to it. "Alright, I need to buy some jazz music," she said aloud, wandering around the store for the easy listening section.

Severus, on the other hand, had no interest following his wife like a lost puppy everywhere, so he found himself snooping around the pop/rock aisles. Most of his favorite groups were under his fingertips, though no longer on vinyl records. Looking at David Bowie's _Aladdin Sane_ album, he noticed that it was in a hard compact disc case instead of in a paper sleeve. Even music formats have changed, he thought, knowing that cassette tapes and 8-tracks were being replaced by laser audio discs.

Even above him, he could hear the sound of Bowie's voice above him from the intercom speakers in the store, but this was not the same Bowie he grew up listening to in his teenage years. No, this Bowie sounded different – electronica with a blend of industrial tones.

_Johnny's in America_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_I'm afraid of the world_

_I'm afraid I can't help it_

_I'm afraid I can't_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_I'm afraid of the world_

_I'm afraid I can't help it_

_I'm afraid I can't_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_Johnny's in America_

When he had reached the "N" section in one aisle, he pulled out an album with a ragged rope in a spiral on the cover. On the corner was the group his wife spoke about the night before with the album's title _Further Down the Spiral_ next to it. How fitting, he thought with a faint smile on his lips. The story of my life. Maybe Hermione was right about this Nine Inch Nails band.

He reached into his pants pocket, but he soon realized that he did not bother to bring enough Muggle currency with him for vacation, assuming that he had all he needed once he left. "Methinks it would be best to wait," he muttered sadly as he put the case back into its slot right in front of one of the few "The Perfect Drug" singles that were available, only this time he saw the band's acronym "NIN" on the front (the last "N" being reverted, of course).

Behind him, he heard a group of gothic teenagers – two boys and a girl – looking at him and whispering under their breaths, long enough to catch him turning his head toward their direction before pivoting on their heels and looking in the opposite direction. "Oh my God, was that him?" gasped the girl excitedly.

"Well, he certainly looked like him," said one of the boys. "The hair, the black clothing, and the fact that he was just looking at one of the best EP's he has ever put together. I'd say that was him!"

"Should we ask him?" asked the other boy.

"Ask him what?" asked the girl.

"You know."

"No, I don't know what you are talking about, but to humor me, please tell me what you wanted to ask me about."

The trio looked up to find Severus Snape standing behind them with an evil smirk on his face. "Well?" he asked.

The tall lanky gothic boy of the group gulped, placing a nervous hand behind his head. "Um, sir," he began, "we don't mean to intrude on you, but… can we please have your autograph?" Reaching for another Nine Inch Nails album in the girl's purse, this one entitled_ The Downward Spiral_, he stuck it out in front of him in his white bony hands. "We're really big fans of your music, sir," he said with a nervous chuckle.

Before Severus could speak about the misunderstanding, he heard his wife call for him as she walked away from the counter with her purchase in a small plastic bag. "Severus, are you ready?" she asked.

Turning back to the teenagers with a small smirk on his face, Severus said in a dark silky voice, "Perhaps another time."

The trio groaned in defeat as they watched the strange man take the witch by the hand and quickly walk out of the store. "I knew it was too good to be true," sighed the shorter boy in defeat.

"Yeah. I mean his eyes were… black, not hazel!" said the girl.

"Not to mention, he doesn't swing that way," said the tall boy. The other two gothic teenagers looked at him with wide eyes. Hastily, the boy added, "But I think it's just a rumor!"

Meanwhile, Hermione glanced at the teenagers from over her left shoulder and then turned her attention to her husband. "What were you doing with those kids?" she asked.

"Apparently, I must be some new celebrity," muttered Severus as he placed his right hand on her back, pushing her to increase her pace. "Those dunderheads asked me for an autograph!"

"Whatever for?"

"I swear you should have never told me about that musician last night," grumbled Severus.

Hermione burst in laughter, shaking her head in disbelief at the same time. "They thought you were him?" she asked. "I can't believe that!"

"I can hardly see the resemblance."

"Well, of course!" sighed his wife in exasperation. "Besides, you don't want to admit that you have a Muggle look-a-like." They finally stopped in front of Barnes & Noble Books where she would pick up a Christmas gift for her father. "I promise I won't be gone for too long," she said sweetly.

"We shall see," said Severus as he strode over to the bench in front of the store, keeping an eye on the time. He was relieved that she found what she was looking for in less than two minutes, but when her eyes lingered over to the history section, he watched her move further toward the back of the room and almost out of sight.

Five minutes had passed, and then ten, and then fifteen. Twenty minutes later, Severus sat on a bench with his arms crossed over his chest and his right foot tapping impatiently. Soon, something caught his attention from the corner of his eye. "Interesting," he murmured to himself as he headed toward the direction of a store he thought he would never find in the mall as long as Hermione was around.

After spending thirty minutes in the bookstore, forcing herself to stop reading a few good history books, Hermione stepped out into the main walkway but could not find her husband anywhere. She looked all around her and saw nothing but strangers walking past her, not a single of them being he. Where did he go, she thought as she began to search for him.

"No need to panic, Hermione. I'm here."

She jumped upon hearing his baritone voice, turning around to face him while catching her breath. "You scared me!" she gasped.

"I apologize," he said calmly. "I didn't mean to frighten you like that."

"Where did you go?" she asked.

Quickly, the Potions Master thought of the first thing that came to his mind, knowing fully well what his wife was capable of doing had she found out the truth. "I had to use the loo," he lied. "And then I got lost until I realized where you were. I forgot how much you find books to be interesting."

"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly, a hint of blush creeping onto her face. "I didn't mean to spend that much time in the bookstore."

"Nevertheless, we have more shopping to do," reminded her husband as he started to walk off further down the building.

Hermione sighed and quickened her pace to meet up with Severus' long strides. "Why can't he just slow down?" she grumbled.

Two hours later, the Snapes walked back to the car in the parking garage carrying two big bags of gifts in their hands. Hermione went out of her way to buy gifts for her extended family that would be at the family Christmas lunch that year. She also thought about Ginny and the other Weasleys who supported her choice while she looked around in a candy store to pick up some sweets as part of her traditional Christmas trays. At one point in their search, Severus found a box of Lemon Heads and slowly felt guilt rushing over him. Hermione noticed the sad look in his eyes and knew exactly what he was feeling.

After all, Dumbledore would have asked for a box of Lemon Heads for Christmas to go with his lemon drops in his office.

Hermione took out her keys and hit the unlock button on the keypad dangling at the bottom. As she opened the right passenger seat to put away the bags, she asked Severus, "Well, what did you think of the mall?"

"Considering that this is no Diagon Alley with all these strange children around, I found it rather intriguing," began Severus, "however, I am not one for shopping with someone of the fair gender. If I had done the shopping myself, we would have been done in thirty minutes or less."

The brunette woman glared at him and placed her hands on her hips. "Severus, I already apologized for sticking my nose in some books in the bookstore. Can you let go of that?" she sniped.

"Has it ever occurred to you, my dear, that one step in an aisle of books and you are gone from this world?" asked Severus. "I should have been the one to pick out the book for your father and left _you_ outside waiting for _me_. We could have been out of here sooner."

When he took his seat in the car, Hermione simply smirked and said teasingly, "I think you like shopping. I can see it now in the papers when we get back – 'Potions Professor Is Seen Shopping in a Muggle Shopping District with His Young Wife.'"

"Blast it all, woman, get in the car and let's go home!" he barked.

Ah, yes, Good ol' Professor Snape was still there.

_Johnny's in America_

_Johnny looks up at the stars_

_Johnny combs his hair_

_And Johnny wants pussy and cars_

The drive home was silent as husband and wife kept their thoughts and possible snide remarks to themselves. Severus kept looking out the window while Hermione simply drove carefully. Occasionally, she would glance at him from the corner of her eye, noticing how captivated he was by the scenery passing by.

Finally, she broke the silence with one question: "Have you ever driven a car?"

He glanced over his shoulder and looked at her with a blank expression. "In my life?" he asked.

"Yes."

He slowly shook his head and sighed. "You have to understand, Hermione, that unlike you, my family could barely afford to keep me well fed," he said. "We were very poor, and Spinner's End was not the best place to live in. Everything we had was down the same road – my father's job at the factory, the supermarket, and the little bank my mother used. If we wanted to go somewhere else in London, we would either walk or take a bus, but we never needed cars. In fact, we would only contribute to the air pollution problem we had due to the factory."

"I see," said Hermione. "And probably by the time you reached the legal age to drive, you decided to stay in the wizarding world instead."

"Yes," replied the wizard. "I have no interest of learning how to drive, considering that I don't live here that much as it is."

"You know, Severus, by having a car, you can get away from anywhere you wanted to and just drive around," said Hermione with a smile on her face.

"You can do the same with a broomstick," countered Severus.

"Yes, but not so much at Hogwarts," said Hermione. "If I wanted to and risk losing house points, I would fly to the Forbidden Forest just as a place to escape from everything."

His black eyes gazed at her for a moment, filled with concern in those dark deep depths. "Why would you do that?" he asked. "You seem to have everything you wanted."

"Not exactly," she said sadly. "Do you know how much pressure I have to go through, not just as Head Girl but also as a hero and a student? You could probably guess that when the Minister issued the Marriage Law, I was tempted to take Harry's broomstick and fly around the school to clear my mind, but then again, I hate flying unless there's a good reason."

"So, what is different about a car then?" inquired Severus.

"You don't have to lose house points for being out," replied Hermione with a small laugh.

"Not unless I have a say in it," teased the Slytherin.

"I mean outside of Hogwarts without a reasonable excuse, you git!" The witch reached over and playfully slapped Severus on the arm. "I think you just like to take points away just for no reason."

"Five points from Gryffindor…" began the Potions Master.

"Oh hush!" huffed Hermione.

_Johnny's in America_

_Johnny's in America_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_I'm afraid of the world_

_I'm afraid I can't help it_

_I'm afraid I can't_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

_I'm afraid of the world_

_I'm afraid I can't help it_

_I'm afraid I can't_

_Yeah, I'm afraid of Americans_

_I'm afraid of their words_

_I'm afraid I can't help it_

_I'm afraid I can't_

_I'm afraid of Americans_

Days went by slowly for the Snapes and Grangers as the holiday grew nearer, which gave Severus a revelation. In light of an unexpected new life, he realized that this would be the first Christmas he would share with not just any woman, but a woman whom he taught and also married. Worse of all, he had to spend it with his new in-laws.

Which meant that he would have to do his own Christmas shopping. Bollocks, he thought. He barely knew the Grangers let alone their daughter despite of being his student for seven years. He only knew bits and pieces of her personal life, but he was very aware of her educational needs, which were sometimes placed first before anything else that did not revolve around Voldemort. And, to be quite frank, her life meant little to nothing to him up, until now, that is.

He was now officially broke by Muggle standards, and he had to get Hermione a Christmas gift fast. There was only one solution to solve his problem – a sudden last-minute trip to Diagon Alley, and he would have to get the two dentists to keep their daughter distracted while he was gone. If anyone, her father, he decided.

Two days before Christmas, Severus explained to John what he needed to do, and being the crafty father that he was, Dr. Granger agreed to help out his son-in-law. "There's an empty alley near my office in downtown London," explained the dentist. "You can, uh, apparate there to get wherever you need to go, and I can do my shopping around that area. How long do you think you will be gone?"

"Long enough to get Hermione her gift," replied the wizard.

"I know she has enough books as it is, whether they are Muggle or magical."

"So, I've noticed," said Severus coolly.

"Well, being her first and only husband, maybe you should consider buying her something like a nice piece of jewelry," suggested John. "But if you don't have the money, I understand. I mean I'm sure you don't make as much like other professors in the world."

"Contrary to the popular belief, Mr. Granger, I make as much as the Headmistress does," replied Severus. "Perhaps to Muggles, that is not enough, but to wizards, it is."

The male dentist nodded his head in understanding and escorted Severus to one of the two luxurious cars outside in the driveway. The wizard had no problem riding along with his father-in-law. After all, he had been getting used to being inside cars for the last several days, and after dealing with Hermione's driving skills, which were "adequate" under his standards, he was sure of himself that her father would at least keep him alive for a few more days.

At their destination, both men went on their separate ways – John Granger doing a little window-shopping for his wife and daughter, although he was unsure what his son-in-law had in mind, and Severus Snape walking down the empty alley he was told about. Making sure the coast was clear from any passerby, he pulled out his wand from his coat and drew an outline of a doorframe on the side of the building facing him. Murmuring a spell, the image became real, and Severus twisted the knob, opening the door and walking into a magical passageway to Diagon Alley.

Just as he had suspected, Severus found most of the magical shops to be full of last-minute shoppers like himself, mostly wizards young and old. Flourish & Blotts, on the other hand, was the only shop that was, well, empty. Not only was he thinking about buying a nice necklace for his wife, but Severus also talked himself into finding a book that would be useful in his wife's neverending library.

Opening the door, he casually strode into the establishment, finding the main floor to be literally quiet, not even the owner was present. "Hello?" he called, his voice fading in the distance like an echo. "Is anyone here?"

"Yes, sir. How may I help you?"

Severus turned around to the check out counter when he heard a dream-like voice ringing in his ears. Oh no, he thought bitterly, she does _not_ work here! She is worse than Longbottom on a good day! And that voice just creeps the bloody hell out of me each time she speaks to me like that.

"Hello, Miss Lovegood," he greeted icily. "I didn't know you… had an interest in books."

Luna Lovegood, the Ravenclaw Prefect and the second best choice for the Head Girl position, looked at the Potions Master with a dreamy smile on her face, tilting her head to the side ever so slowly. "I don't, Professor Snape. I just work here," she said. "Someone has to pay for my tuition."

"And I thought your father did."

"Only a little. I'm old enough to have a job, and the bookstore had a sign that said 'Help Wanted' before finals. So, I came inside, applied for the job, and had my interview with the owner," she explained. "Father said I need to have some responsibility in my life, so here I am. How may I help you, Professor? I apologize for not recognizing you, but I have never seen you wear Muggle clothing before…"

Rolling in his eyes in disgust, Severus pleaded to Merlin that his visit was short and to the point and not stretched out because of some loony blonde Ravenclaw student of his. 'I know you know Miss Granger, er, Madame Snape more than I," he began.

"Oh? How is Hermione doing?" asked Luna nonchalantly.

"Will you be quiet, you silly girl?" snapped Severus. "I need to know what kinds of books she likes to read!"

"She will read any book, sir," replied the young blonde witch. "Other than that, I am afraid I cannot help you."

"Very well," sighed Severus in defeat. "I will try and find something that she would like and hope that she doesn't have it already in her collection."

As he turned in his heel to walk down the first aisle, he heard Luna's voice from behind, "Professor, we do have a new book that just came out yesterday. I think Hermione will like it." Taking a book off of a stack next to the old-fashioned cash register, she propped the hardback copy in her hands to display for Severus. "I heard stories that Hermione wanted to free the house elves, even though they like serving wizarding families," she said.

Severus took the book from her hands and gave it a good look before making up his mind. "Yes, I believe she called it S.P.E.W., and yet it was one goal that she failed in her early years of Hogwarts," he recalled. "Very well. Maybe this book can give her some insight on house elves in our community. How much do I owe you, Miss Lovegood?"

"It would have been two galleons but everything in the store is marked half off due to the holiday, sir. And with your faculty discount at Hogwarts, your total comes down to nine sickles and five knuts," replied the blonde witch.

"Isn't that rather cheap for a new book, Miss Lovegood?" asked Severus.

"That's the correct figures with all the discounts, Professor." Smiling at the Potions Master, she added, "And I also did them twice in the head during our conversation. So, it is right."

"So you say," said Severus as he placed the coins on the counter. "And may I have a bag with that, Miss Lovegood?"

"Certainly, Professor," replied Luna.

Minutes later, Severus look around for a decent jewelry store in the shopping center. His search nearly came to a disappointing end until he saw a display case of house pendants in the window of a new business in the area. "I wonder," he murmured to himself as his black eyes scanned over the Slytherin and Gryffindor pendants, both priced rather costly at twenty-five galleons. Thankfully, he had taken out fifty galleons before he left for Muggle London, but spending that much money on two pendants would leave him broke until he returned to Hogwarts.

But then again, he was not sorted into Slytherin for nothing! Strolling into the jewelry store, he approached a young wizard who was at the counter working on a new pendant. "Are these pendants handmade here?" asked the Potions Master.

"Yes, sir," replied the young wizard. "How may I help you?"

"How much would it cost to fuse two pendants you have on display over in the window into one?"

"Which pendants are you talking about, sir?"

"The Slytherin and Gryffindor ones."

"It would be about thirty-five galleons, much cheaper to do it that way rather than buying two for fifty," replied the wizard.

"Very true," said Severus with a smirk on his harsh face.

Back in London, John Granger patiently waited for his son-in-law to return from his shopping after a successful trip in the downtown area. Every five minutes he would check his gold watch and then return to his slow pace in front of his office. When he heard a loud bang in the alley, he poked his head around the corner and saw Severus approaching him briskly. "Found what you need, Severus?" he asked.

"Yes, John, and I hope Hermione likes what I got her," replied the wizard.

"If it is a book, you know she will stick her nose in it once she opens it up," chuckled the dentist. "Well, let's get back home. Hermione might have figured out where we were despite of Jane insisting on having some mother-daughter time."

John Granger was right about his daughter. By the time the two men arrived at the Granger residence, Hermione immediately began to ask questions about their whereabouts before either one of them could even cross the threshold.

Insufferable chit, thought Severus as he tuned out his wife for a brief moment, but she's my insufferable chit.

On the night of Christmas Eve, John and Jane begged Hermione to attend the midnight mass service with them using the excuse that the priest had not seen the witch in a long time and had been curious about her studies. He was the only person in the church who knew about her secret, and unlike most priests, he did not condemn her into damnation. In fact, he was rather open-minded about her heritage. Other members, however, often wondered where exactly she studied in hopes to send their children to the great institute they always heard about from the Grangers. Though they were devout Catholics and knew it was a sin, the dentists lied each time her name was brought up into conversation. And since this would most likely be her last Christmas with them, they begged their daughter to reconsider her decision.

"Father Edwards misses you a lot," began Jane while the family sat around the dinner table with cups of hot tea in their hands.

"And he would love to see you one more time," added John.

"Mum, Dad, you know my opinion about the church and their views on witchcraft, and you already know that I'm bound to go to Hell according to the Bible," said Hermione. "So, why should I even go if the entire church is going to shun me for the rest of my life because I'm against Muggle religions and their gods? And besides everyone else thinks that I'm just… weird."

"There are some people in the clergy who do care about you!" argued Jane. "You haven't been to church in how long? Six years?"

"Actually seven years and four months, Mum," corrected Hermione. "Time turner, remember?"

"Whatever! The point is people have been asking us about you, and your father and I know they don't believe a single word we say no matter how hard we keep our story correct. So, just this once, come with us, please? We won't ask you to do it again, Hermione. We promise."

Hermione looked over at Severus who was sitting across from her sipping on his tea in silence, although his eyes told her to listen to her parents just to get them off her back. Sighing heavily in defeat, the witch nodded her head. "I'll go… But only if Severus comes!"

Spluttering his tea everywhere, Severus looked at his wife with a mixed expression of shock and anger. "If I what?" he gasped.

"You come to church with me," repeated Hermione.

"You can't be serious!"

"I am."

"Severus, please, just for Hermione," pleaded John with a small smile on his face.

Rolling his eyes in disgust, the Potions Master snorted at the idea, but nevertheless, followed his wife's idea and agreed to attend mass, although both Snapes knew it would not be a pretty sight before the night was over.

And Hermione would have to keep her husband in check before he even dared to use an Unforgivable on a Muggle.

To him, though, God was an almighty powerful deity with a sick sense of humor, given his luck in life and all. And perhaps, just perhaps, He was also a Muggle-lover.

Yes, that was certainly the main reason why did He did not believe in same God as the Grangers. After all, why would God take Lily away from him in the first place?

_God is an American_

I apologize for the long delay and the long chapter, but if you liked it, please leave me a nice little review! Lemony goodness ahead if you want more!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	21. Ch 21: The Perfect Drug, Lemon

"Hurt"

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Disclaimer: If I did own Snape, I'd be one lucky girl. But I don't, nor do I own the others. JKR has that privilege. Lucky woman. As for the lyrics… The man behind NIN is bloody brilliant and bloody lucky to have such a bloody intelligent brain!

I'm fully aware of the many meanings behind this song, and I know the entire video had a rather weird concept. Obviously, being a rather mature scene, I'm going with the sensual side of it.

This chapter is going out to I.Am.Helena.of.Shakespeare – I do agree Trent looked very Snape-esque in this particular video, especially if you have seen illustrations of Snape with facial hair, although I do see why people think he would make a good Sirius Black too. But I'm sticking with the whole Snape-Reznor theory, facial hair or not.

Warning: Anyone care for a **lemon** drop?

Chapter 21: The Perfect Drug

As soon as the midnight mass service was over, the Grangers and the Snapes were the first to walk out of the giant cathedral, taking their leave for the night. The two dentists were disturbed by the whisperings from the congregation about the sudden return of their daughter and the mysterious man with her. They always thought Hermione was a strange little girl; she never took communion prior to her first year at Hogwarts and questioned the existence of a God only the Muggles could worship and not be ridiculed. While other girls of her age in the church ate the bread and drank the wine, Hermione received blessings. She was never baptized into the church for witchcraft and sorcery were against the laws and teachings of the Holy Bible.

Six years later, she returned to the church with an older man in tow. Both wore their weddings rings, which sparked rumors from the older women, especially those who disliked the Grangers for their daughter's upbringing. No one was notified about a wedding, and if there was one, there was no doubt that it was not Catholic. Obviously, they assumed, her "husband" shared the same beliefs toward religion as her.

Just as the family reached their car, John heard the voice of the elder priest calling to them. "Yes, Father?" he asked.

The stout man slowed his pace and tried to catch his breath, shivering from the cold that early Christmas morning. "I tried to get your attention, Doctor, but you and your family left in such a hurry." He turned his gaze toward Hermione, taking in the reality before his eyes, and asked in bewilderment, "Hermione, is that you?"

Hermione blushed and nodded her head. "Yes, Father Edwards. It is I."

The priest took the young woman into an embrace, as if it had been years since he have seen what he considered as the granddaughter he never had. "Hermione, it has been years," he said in a low voice. "Why did you come back?"

"I was told I was missed at the church since I left for boarding school six years ago," she replied.

"But there was always summer vacation. You know you are always welcome here in my presence."

Hermione looked at Severus, her eyes asking for permission to tell something of the truth. Her husband nodded in return and remained quiet as he stood next to his father-in-law. "Father Edwards, remember all those visits to your office when I was a little girl and you told me each time that it was fine to be different from everyone else, even if I did not agree with any religion?" she asked.

"Yes, yes. Go on."

"That's the reason why I left the church and never came back," explained Hermione. "I don't believe in the same God as you. In fact, I don't believe in any God. I'm not atheist, but I'm not Wiccan either. I don't practice any religion at all."

"Are you telling me that your parents forced you to come tonight of all nights?" asked Father Edwards.

"No, but I was told I was being missed and that I should come just one more time before I went back to school. Apparently, they were wrong."

"No!" countered the priest. "You were missed! _I_ missed you after all these years. I knew there was something about you that made you very special. And I have kept your secret away from everyone else, including the other priests." He glanced out of the corner of his eye, noticing Severus, and asked, "But is it true you married that man over there?"

"A few weeks ago, Father," answered Hermione. "It was a private ceremony too, given the circumstances."

"He's old enough to be your father, child."

Upon hearing the elder priest's comment, Severus gave into the urge to grimace once more. "Will these Muggles learn to get over it?" he muttered.

Father Edwards chuckled and added, "And he certainly seems to be a keeper. I hope you were not having relations with this man while you were not of age, Hermione, especially since he might be your teacher."

"He is that, Father, and I was of age when we married, but there was a reason behind it," said Hermione.

The priest's eyes widened as he quickly turned his head at Hermione. "Hermione?" he gasped. "Are you expecting? Is that why you married him?"

"No!" she exclaimed. "Well, I have never thought about being pregnant right now. I was a virgin when I married him; I kept that belief sacred."

The priest placed a hand over his heart in relief. "You nearly killed me there, child. I was hoping you would have saved yourself for marriage when the time was right." He took both of her hands into his and looked directly into her eyes. "I hope you will accept this, but may my God bless you and your husband, rather than cursing you for being what are, and happy Christmas, my dear."

He gave Hermione another hug and walked over to Severus, shaking his hand in approval. "You are one lucky man, sir. You have my blessings. Happy Christmas, and may the Lord be with you."

"Happy Christmas, Father," said Severus gruffly. His dark gaze followed the priest as the stout man returned to the steps of the cathedral. He looked at Hermione with a small sneer on his face. "You told him?" he seethed.

"I was a little girl, Severus! I didn't know I'd be going to Hogwarts by the time I was eleven," argued Hermione as she opened her passenger door and slid into the backseat. "Besides, he understood why I didn't believe in God, and I truly still don't to this day."

"We never did impose religion on our daughter," explained Jane. "I have read many results of other Catholic families forcing it down the throats of their children. Do you know how many children continued to practice it, Severus?"

"I say not that many," replied Severus.

"Exactly. Because of her unusual and magical heritage, Hermione had every right to question about God and Christianity. Unfortunately, we live in a world where religion is just part of our culture."

"Do you and John believe in this God?"

"We do. We have been devout Catholics since we were children. Like every doctor and dentist in the city, we have given so much to the church, but we don't care about our income as long as we have enough to cover the expenses to live and put food on the table."

"And speaking about Christianity, I hope you know what today is on the Muggle calendar, Severus," said John as he backed the car out of the parking lot and began to drive back to the Granger residence.

"Yes, I do. I celebrated Christmas as a child, but not the religious aspect, of course."

"So, you have lived outside of the magical world before?" asked Jane.

"My mother was a pureblood witch who married a Muggle man in London and lived with him at Spinner's End," explained Severus. "Father was, however, an atheist and Mother was indeed Wiccan, even though she hid that secret from my father for years until she was caught showing me magic when I was young."

John frowned. "And then everything went downhill from there?"

Severus swallowed a cry and answered hoarsely, "Yes."

"Severus, I remember we talked about your parents for a brief moment the other day, but what was your father's name again?"

"Tobias Snape," replied Severus coolly, although he was found clenching his fists on his lap. Hermione looked at them with a worry look on her face. She was silently praying to herself that her husband would not knock her father out for interrogating him about his childhood again.

"Tobias Snape," murmured John. "Now I know where I have seen that name before! I remember seeing his records a while ago when I was looking through the files from the dentist before us."

"You had files?" growled Severus.

"Dental files, Severus. I threw them away because they were old and we were running out of space for more. They have not been updated since over a decade!

"But the name sounds familiar indeed. Under your family name, I also had two more dental records of a woman and a child. The woman's were just as old as your father's, but the child's..." He glanced up at Severus from the review mirror and asked, "When did you start attending Hogwarts?"

"The fall of 1971," answered Severus.

"Well, it certainly could have not been you unless you were an only child."

"What do you mean, Dad?" asked Hermione.

"If I remember correctly, the child in question made his last visit when he was about eight or nine years of age."

"I _was_ an only child," snarled Severus, "and that was _my_ file you were looking through. I have not seen a dentist – Muggle or magical – for years. My family was too poor to go after father began to waste his money away. Now will it be all right if we could change the subject?"

John and Jane looked at each other and nodded their heads in agreement. They thought it was best to move onto something more pleasant. They assumed correctly, however, that something must have happened to his parents after their sudden disappearance in their records.

They would ask Severus more about his childhood later. Now was not the time to continue.

As the car pulled into the driveway at their residence, the Grangers bid their daughter and son-in-law goodnight and allowed them to have a private moment outside in the light snow. Hermione's eyes drifted to the nighttime sky, occasionally blinking away a snowflake from her pupils. She glanced over to see her husband pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his inner coat pocket and lighting a stick with a lighter. "You do know that smoking is bad for you," she said with a smirk.

"Insufferable know-it-all," muttered Severus, exhaling a puff of smoke from his mouth. "If you were in my position, you would understand why I picked up this habit during my first few years of being of age to smoke. It helps me relieve my stress."

"And when did you manage to buy cigarettes? I could have sworn you were around me since our arrival other than that trip with my father!"

The Potions Master allowed a small smile to slip onto his face. "You mean to tell me you didn't know of the smokehouse at the mall a few days ago?"

"How could you have gone there? You were with me every minute except when I had to…" Hermione paused for a moment as a thought struck her hard at the back of the head. "You sneaky bastard!" she groaned. "You went there when I was in the bookstore!"

"Five points to Gryffindor," chuckled Severus. "I couldn't resist the urge to buy a pack. I needed a cigarette after a few weeks of going cold turkey all because I was too busy to go to London just to get cigarettes and nothing else. That and the fact that I went under a hectic time of my life known as the Marriage Law."

Giggling to herself, Hermione shook her head and continued to watch the snow falling from above. She stayed silent until her husband extinguished the stub in the snow and drew her into his arms from behind. She took a sniff of his scent and giggled. "You do know you smell like smoke and potions," she said softly.

"And you wouldn't have me any other way," he murmured, resting his chin on top of her knitted cap.

"Well, the smoke I can live with out," said Hermione. "But the potions are your life. Them and the Dark Arts."

"You are _not_ going to break me from smoking, Madame Snape," said Severus with an arched eyebrow. "If you dare, how will I relieve all that stress within me?"

Without thinking, Hermione replied, "You have me, don't you?" She covered her mouth as soon as she realized what she had said. Merlin's beard, what have I done, she thought.

She felt her husband's hooked nose buried into her hair and inhaling the sweet smell. "Yes, I do," he whispered into her ear. "And there are ways I could relieve my stress with you, love."

He slipped a hand under her winter coat and slowly massaged her left breast. Hermione took a deep breath and rested her head against his chest. A rush of pleasure began to flow through her body, and she could not stop herself from moaning his name. "Severus," she sighed.

"Hmm?" he asked. "You rang?"

_I've got my head_

_But my head is unraveling_

_Can't keep control_

_Can't keep track of where it's traveling_

The logic to make a coherent sentence was slipping from Hermione's grasp as her husband continued his ministrations, but her brain was able to force keywords from her lips. "Stop… Bedroom… Now…"

"Afraid to do it out in the open with all the snow around us?" purred Severus, flicking her right earlobe with his tongue. He felt his wife jolt at contact, earning herself a throaty chuckle from within him. "Are you scared that you are going to get… caught? Are you scared of breaking the rules again? Would you break them for me, Hermione?"

How she hated that man each time he used that silky bedroom voice around her, but despite of her little peeve toward something so rich and so intoxicating that belonged to her husband, she also loved it. Even more so, he knew she liked it too. She could tell he was enjoying her whimpering for him as he inhaled the scent of sex. He did not have to slip a hand into her jeans; feeling her wet crotch from outside of the denim material answered his question. "Severus," she begged.

"Yes?" Loosening her red and gold Gryffindor scarf, his lips found her neck and he began to nip and suck on the exposed skin tenderly.

She grabbed his hand that was covering her breast and pulled it away from her body, turning on her heels with flushed cheeks and heavy panting as she tried to catch her breath. "We need to get inside," she said. "Now."

His dark gaze penetrated her brown eyes and kept complete eye contact with her. Neither one blinked or turned away. Each lover was entranced by the irises of the other. She saw something in his black orbs that twinkled, but it was not the same twinkle that would shine in the old headmaster's eyes. It was not a twinkle of mischief; it was a twinkle of… Well, something. Lust? Love? She could not tell.

But given the current circumstances, she assumed his eyes were full of lust, and that lust was all for her and her alone.

_I've got my heart_

_But my heart's no good_

_And you're the only one that's understood_

"Now?" he asked huskily.

"Yes, now," she repeated. "You started this; you're going to finish it."

A snarky smirk found itself on his lips as he pulled her against him and captured her lips with his for one long moment. Lifting up his wife in bridal style, he rushed her inside the house and upstairs to her bedroom, carefully closing the door behind him so he would not wake up his in-laws and creating a silence charm on the door to prevent any suspicions.

He laid her on the bed but did not give her a chance to move for he had thrown himself onto her and took her lips once again. He was hungry for her, hungry for too long, and she would pay for it dearly, even if it was in that very room. Oh yes, she was in for the time of her young life.

He would also make sure to teach her not to keep him waiting forever like that again, but perhaps another time, say, when they got back to Hogwarts. After all, he was a professor for something, right?

Until Hermione, he could not remember the last woman he gave himself to willingly and who understood him. In fact, there had been none, other than Lily Evans, but not in a sexual way. Hell, he never had the chance to bed her before she got to Potter.

But Hermione's no Lily, he told himself as he heard soft sounds escaping from her now bruised lips. No, she would never be his Lily; she would always be his Hermione, his know-it-all, his wife.

And she knew he had needs just as much as he knew of hers. At least he was willing to oblige.

Suddenly, he felt tiny hands pushing him off of her. He looked down at her in confusion. "What the hell was that for?" he asked, almost yelling due to the gigantic bulge in his pants.

"Severus, there was a reason why I never allowed you to touch me during the last several weeks," said Hermione softly. She lowered her gaze toward her belly, hoping that her husband would see that she was deeply hurt. "I don't think you love me," she confessed. "I mean the last time we… Well you know, you said her name and not mine, and it hurt me. Do I mean anything to you?"

The Potions Master just sat there in silence, sitting in shock upon hearing her words. But those six words… _I don't think you love me_… Every syllable rang in his head until he could not longer think straight.

He placed his forefinger underneath her chin to lift her face and stare into his black eyes. "You don't think I love you?" he asked coldly. "Hermione, must I remind you that I never had a witch to love in my life without making an idiotic bloke out of myself? I had that chance, and I pissed it all away out of anger, and look where it got me. Nowhere! Absolutely bloody nowhere! With me being a Death Eater, I knew of little love until I heard of my best friend's death to come, and I tried to save her because I loved her, and even if she was with another man, I would still love her the same.

"But as you know, that friend is gone, and I lived alone for nearly twenty years until you accepted my proposal because of the Marriage Law a few weeks ago. And if I didn't love you, I wouldn't have jumped through hoops just to make you happy. Hell, I wouldn't be here with you and your family right now! I would probably be back at Hogwarts enjoying the silence and the absence of most of the students. But here I am, and here we are. Now tell me, Hermione, do you still think that I don't love you?"

The witch lowered her head and shook it sideways, but when she looked up at him one more time, she had begun to cry, tears running down the sides of her face. "But Severus, it's hard to believe all that with everything you had done to me and to my friends."

Taking a deep breath, he gathered his wife into his arms and held her close to his warm body. "Hermione, remember when you were in your third year outside of the Shrieking Shack?" he began. "You were with Potter and the Weasley boy, running away from Lupin as a werewolf, and in his little rampage, he would have killed you had no one been able to save you. But I came to the rescue only for two reasons: first and foremost, I promised Dumbledore a long time ago that I would protect Potter no matter what as long as he was my student and under my care, and secondly, I, and perhaps along with the other professors and staff, would have been severely reprimanded for not keeping an eye on three wandering students outside of Hogwarts' gates late at night, thus, most likely, contributing to your deaths. If I wasn't there, who was going to save your pretty little arse?"

Hermione giggled under her breath and nodded her head. "I remember, but you really came to save us because of that promise to the Headmaster," she said.

"That and it was my job to keep you three out of trouble," added Severus. "Unfortunately, I had to go into greater dangers in the years to come, especially earlier this year when the Dark Lord wanted you three to die.

"Hermione, I was never given a chance to love, and that's all I am asking of you to do tonight. I know I told you I would never go behind your parents' back, but I need you right now." Running a hand along the shape of her breast, he heard a soft gasp of pleasure from her lips. "And from I can tell, you can't wait any longer either."

She did not need any more encouragement; her lips found his neck and began her tender assault there. "You, err, placed a silencing charm on the door, didn't you?" she asked between nibbles.

That was all he needed to hear.

_I come along, but I don't know where you're taking me_

_I shouldn't go, but you're wrenching, dragging, shaking me_

_Turn off the sun, pull the stars from the sky_

_The more I give to you, the more I die_

_And I want you_

_And I want you_

_And I want you_

_And I want you!_

_You are the perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

_You are the perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

Mouth crushed against mouth and hand entwined with hand as both husband and wife sought out to find pleasure together on that early Christmas morning. She found him to be addictive, and he saw her as a seductive goddess alluring him to ecstasy. At that moment, they were no longer student and professor, young and old, member of the Order and double-agent. No, they were just two people molding each other in love.

Their outdoor winter clothing was already scattered everywhere in the room, only leaving them in their Muggle clothes. Hermione was grateful that her husband was wearing a nice black shirt rather than his frock coat, given the fact that the only button on his body was the one hold his black pants in place. They parted for just a moment, throwing their shirts over their heads, but came back together to leave their partner breathless and wanting more.

_You make me hard when I'm all soft inside_

_I see the truth when I'm all stupid eyed_

_The arrow goes straight through my heart_

_Without you everything just falls apart_

Skilled hands reached behind Hermione's back and undid the strap to her white bra, bony fingers slowly pulling down the tiny straps to reveal the small enticing globes on her chest. Just by looking at her taut nipples, he felt his erection growing even more and his trousers were starting to feel a bit uncomfortable. Circe, he thought, doesn't she know how appealing she looks?

He massaged her peaks slowly, driving her further into madness. She did yelp softly as she felt him give her the occasional pinch on her hard tits, but she did not stop him. She wanted more, and damn it, she needed it now!

Suddenly, she felt herself being pushed down into her pillows and Severus' body right on top of her, his right thigh settling between her legs. She was grateful for the silencing charm because when his hot mouth enveloped her left breast and his wicked tongue flicked her nipple, a loud moan escaped from her throat. He nibbled and added more suction while his hands roamed around her waist and belly, slowly heading toward the button of her jeans. "Ooh, Severus!" she breathed as she grabbed a fistful of his black hair into her hand.

He looked up at her brown eyes as he continued his ministrations on her body, never breaking eye contact with her as one hand began to undo her jeans and the other reaching up at her free breast and massaging it carefully. Each time she watched his tongue flick her peak, she would arch her back from the mattress and mewl softly like a kitten.

But there was something in his eyes that caught her attention. It was that blasted twinkle that she had seen only moments ago outside of her house, but it was underneath his lustful glaze. Whatever it was, she concluded, it had reached the very part of her soul, and now she was never going to let him go, no matter how dark he was.

In that very moment, he was everything she needed.

_My blood wants to say hello to you_

_My fears want to get inside of you_

_My soul so afraid to realize_

_How very little left is there of me_

Severus managed to unclasp her jeans with only one hand, pulling down the zipper as his mouth moved from her left breast to her right. Slipping one finger down into her underwear, he found her incredibly wet and ready for him. He stretched her a little using two fingers, nearly coming undone when she began to rock her hips against his hand. "Yes, my little lioness," he purred into her ear. "You like it, don't you?"

Oh, yes, he was ready to make her his. He could not wait any longer to feel wrapped in her tight haven.

_And I want you_

_And I want you_

_And I want you_

_And I want you!_

"Severus, please hurry!" begged Hermone, moving faster against him. "I need you inside me! Oh Merlin, fuck me now!"

His control finally snapped as he grabbed hold of her underwear and ripped it down her legs along with her jeans, leaving her naked, hot, and wanton on the sheets. His boxers and black pants were thrown onto the pile as well, and he positioned himself right outside of her entrance, rubbing his thick shaft along her wet nether lips. "I can't wait to feel you again, my dear," he groaned, rubbing himself faster to lubricate his tip. "Yes, Hermione… You will be mine… All mine…"

Without warning, he plunged himself into her warmth, his black eyes rolling black in pleasure as he slowly moved inside her.

_You are the perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

_You are the perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

_The perfect drug_

She wrapped her legs around his thin waist, pulling him down further toward her. She arched her back as she felt him moving deeper inside and hitting that sweet spot thrust after thrust. "Severus," she whimpered beneath him, "faster… I need to come…"

"I'm trying," he panted, increasing his speed at a gradual pace. He wanted to make this night last for a long time, even if he planned to spend several hours on Christmas morning in bed sleeping soundly.

Soon he found a fast tempo to take his wife over the edge with him, his balls slapping against her cervix and his sallow skin covered in sweat. He reached between their bodies and slowly rubbed a finger along her clitoris up and down to make her let go in an instant. He could see that with her writhing beneath him that she was ready. Leaning down over her, he whispered in that silky and dark voice, "Come for me, Hermione. Now."

And she did. Hard.

_Take me with you_

_Take me with you_

"Severus!" she screamed as her juices covered his finger and his penis, her nails digging into his back while her body was trembling from the best orgasm she ever had.

Her climax soon triggered his as spurts of hot semen flowed into her body, him groaning her name over and over again. "Yes, Hermione… Oh, sweet Merlin, Hermione!"

After the last load was finally released, he collapsed on her right side, nearly bringing her with him. He rested his head in the crook of her neck and closed his eyes. He did everything right, he did everything to make her happy. But when he felt tears rolling down from her face, his blood suddenly turned cold and he scrambled to see what was wrong. "Hermione, are you okay?" he asked in a voice that was not Snape-like.

She nodded her head slowly, her eyes beaming with joy. "I'm more than okay," she said smiling behind the tears. "That was so amazing, Severus. I wish I could feel it again."

Oh, how she was able to boost his ego greatly because not a minute too soon did she found herself pinned beneath him again, his now semi-erect cock rubbing against her folds. "Care for an encore, Madame Snape?" asked Severus with a seductive gleam in his eye.

"Why certainly, Mr. Snape," replied the witch, smiling devilishly at her husband, pulling him down with her.

Several hours later, Severus found himself holding a sleepy and very exhausted Hermione in his arms, listening to her steady breathing and the sound of the snow blowing outside her bedroom windows. He could not imagine spending the first few hours of his least favorite holiday in that particular setting with someone he cared for. In all reality, he never had a chance, but it had seemed that fate had something better in store for him now that he was turning thirty-nine in a matter of weeks and soon his older age in the years to come.

Looking down at his bushy-haired, sex-scented witch, he was still having difficulty to stomach the thought of being married to a student who thought for a long time that he hated her because of the fact that she was a know-it-all Gryffindor and was friends with the son of his childhood enemy. No, he did not hate her, but in order not to raise any suspicions with the Slytherin parents, most of which were fellow Death Eaters, he had to not praise her and her accomplishments. If Voldemort was dead for good a long time ago, he too would play favorites among the houses, her being his favorite of Gryffindor, of course.

But unfortunately, they had to remain professional in the hallways and in the classroom. Everywhere else, he decided, was fair game.

Hermione was certainly no Lily, not after allowing him a second chance, perhaps even a first chance, at love. And although both were still trying to love the other, he knew the two of them were in this together.

Perhaps, he mused to himself, I should thank Lucius after all.

One thing was for certain, though. He was not going to let this one go without a good fight; his did not want his world to fall apart again.

_Without you_

_Without you everything falls apart_

_Without you_

_It's not as much fun to pick up the pieces_

Now who wouldn't want to have something like that for Christmas? Lucky Hermione. Don't forget to read/review if you want to see the next chapter!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


	22. Ch 22: A Warm Place

"Hurt"

"Hurt"

Genre: Angst/Romance

Rating: R

Disclaimer: If I did own Snape, I'd be one lucky girl. But I don't, nor do I own the others. JKR has that privilege. Lucky woman. As for the lyrics… The man behind NIN is bloody brilliant and bloody lucky to have such a bloody intelligent brain!

Author's Notes: I noticed that the 100 days until Christmas countdown is just around the corner, so why not get into the Christmas spirit a little early, eh? Obviously, the extended members of the Granger family are totally OC, but I think you will like them. And the song? Well, Nine Inch Nails don't have too many "fluffy" titles, so I decided to pick an instrumental track that I thought was appropriate.

And for those who are wondering about Snape's answer to Hermione's question in the last chapter… Well, just read and find out!

Chapter 22: A Warm Place

No one bothered to wake up the sleeping couple at the crack of dawn, knowing fully well what was going on during the wee hours that Christmas Day. Despite of the fact that Severus did indeed cast a silencing charm, the Grangers woke up a few times in the middle of the night to the sound of a certain bed pounding against the wall from the other side of the upstairs. They were disappointed, but who were they to blame? They themselves were just like Severus and Hermione when they were still newlyweds, although they, unlike their parents, allowed their daughter to have some privacy.

Severus' black eyes fluttered open at nearly 8:30, his arms still wrapped around his wife's waist. He rested his head on her shoulder and tried to remember the sweet dream he had that morning after their bout of releasing their overdue sexual frustration, but the only thing he could recall was a tiny voice telling him that it was time.

Time for what, he thought.

Soon his eyes found his wand on her nightstand, and he reached for it, carefully not waking up the sleeping witch from her sleep. He did not know why he had to get it, but as he kept looking over at it, the voice kept speaking to him.

_It is time, Severus._

Oh no, he thought. It can't be! He turned to his wife and gulping quietly, he placed the wand against her belly and whispered an incantation under his breath.

What he saw next would change his life forever.

Hermione's eyes slowly opened minutes later, finding her husband holding his wand in his hand for no apparent reason. "Severus, what's going on?" she asked groggily.

"Nothing, dear," lied her husband. "I just heard something outside, and I forgot where I was. I suppose everything is fine."

Taking his wand away and putting it next to her alarm clock, she snuggled against him, throwing her leg over his left knee and pulling up her comforter further up underneath her arm. "Go back to sleep," she yawned.

"I can't now," he said, kissing her on the forehead. "Besides, it's Christmas morning, love. And you have family coming over."

Rolling away from him, she threw her pillow over her head and groaned unladylike in rebellion. "Five more minutes, then," she said, her voice muffled from beneath.

Stealing her pillow, Severus flung it behind him and, very much unlike him, began to tickle her on her sides. "I don't think so," he chuckled as he watched his wife squirm underneath the covers. He watched her face turn red and the tears of laughter rolling down her cheeks. When he finally stopped and allowed her to catch her breath, his face turned serious in a matter of seconds and he cleared his throat. "I really mean it, Hermione. We _need_ to get up. Your parents might be wondering about us."

Hermione pouted at him. It was really unbecoming of her, but he still loved it anyway. "Fine," she muttered, throwing the sheets aside as she stood up in all her naked glory. Turning around to face her husband, she noticed his tongue licking his lips, sending a chill down her spine. "Don't look at me like that," she said.

"You know you like it," purred Severus.

Before she could speak, she heard her father knocking on the other side of the white door. "Okay, you lovebirds! Rise and shine!" called John. "Breakfast is on the table, and the bathroom's available for you two afterward!"

"Thank you, Dad!" replied Hermione as she grabbed her robe from her closet door. Looking at her husband as she tied the knot to her belt, she asked impatiently, "Well, are you coming?"

"We could always have breakfast in bed," said Severus silkily. "I know I wouldn't mind."

"Severus, as much as you like to eat pussy, now, as you have said before, is obviously not the time," groaned Hermione. "And if they were to bring us trays up here, I'm certainly sure my parents wouldn't like to see my husband without something on besides just the sheets over his lap."

Tossing his black robe at him, she turned on her heels and slipped on a pair of red slippers by her door. "Make yourself somewhat presentable," she ordered before she walked out of her bedroom.

Severus sighed in defeat, looking at the black wad in his hand. "And so it begins," he grumbled as he got out of the bed on the other side.

Hermione, on the other hand, winced as she took a step down the stairs, still feeling extremely tender from hours before. She knew that Severus did not give a straight answer for his screw up, whether it was because he was hiding the truth or he was too consumed in that moment of passion, but being the stubborn Gryffindor princess she was, she would beat it out of him one way or another.

Of course, now was not the time. She had more important things to worry about.

When the Potions Master finally joined his wife and his in-laws at the kitchen table, he noticed the dark rings underneath John and Jane's eyes despite of the fact that they were drinking their second cup of coffee that morning. "Trouble sleeping?" he inquired.

"A little," replied Jane.

"Unfortunately, I don't have some pepper-up potions on me," he said with a slight frown.

"That's quite all right, Severus, although we do appreciate your offer," said John, sipping on his coffee carefully. "Of course, if it wasn't for the fact that someone's bed was moving about last night and pounding across the hall, I would have gotten a decent amount of sleep last night," he added, looking down at his daughter with a stern expression on his face.

Hermione simply blushed with a Cheshire's cat grin, embarrassed that her parents indirectly caught her having sex with her husband even after she told them that she would not go behind their backs. "Sorry?" she apologized. "We did throw some silence charms on the door last night, but probably not the entire room. I'm really sorry, Dad!"

"Oh, let her go, John!" sighed Jane in exasperation. "You did that to my parents when we spent our first Christmas together with them as a married couple!"

"And you remember what happened?" asked John, his cheeks turning a bit red in embarrassment.

"All too well, dear," replied his wife. "My father still can't get that image out of his head to this day."

"Speaking of which, isn't Grandfather coming?" asked Hermione, a hint of disappointment lingering in the air above her.

"No, dear, he's not. He's with his new fling in Paris for Christmas instead."

"New fling?"

"Hermione, just because he's a widower doesn't mean he can't find another woman," scolded Jane.

"But that still doesn't mean he has to look for someone forty years his junior with blonde hair, a body like a twig, and big breasts," muttered John into his coffee. "You're just upset that he's thinking about marrying her, and you'll have to answer to someone younger than you as your new stepmother."

"I am certainly not!" huffed Jane. "That… bimbo will have no control over my life. I'm a married and successful woman, and she will be nothing more than just one of those whores like those in _Playboy_ magazines who likes to sleep around with men for their money!"

"Mum, face it. Dad's right," said Hermione. "You're upset."

"Not to mention, he might redo the will very soon," added John, taking another sip of his coffee.

"He is not going to touch that will as long as I can stop him!" argued Jane.

"You think you can stop him from marrying her?" countered Severus coolly.

Sighing in defeat, Jane shrugged her shoulders. "I doubt it," she said.

"Then what chance do you have at stopping him from giving her what he had promised you?"

"Little to none," replied the female dentist sadly. "As long as he has a say in this, my hands are tied behind my back." Taking one last sip from her cup, she muttered under her breath, "But I still think that little bitch wants him for the money."

"Mum!" scolded Hermione.

"It's the truth!"

"Severus, would you like to have a piece of toast and jam with your eggs?" asked John.

To say in the least, the Potions Master was very glad for a change of topic.

After spending an hour on her hair, Hermione emerged from the bathroom wearing a nice purple turtleneck and a pair of khaki trousers. She peaked inside her bedroom to find her husband transfiguring another black outfit into Muggle fashion. "Maybe you need to invest in a new wardrobe, love," she teased as she leaned against the doorway.

"Perhaps," said Severus, flicking his wand one more time, transforming his frock coat into a nice black and emerald green sweater. "Then again, I have no intentions to visit your family _that_ often," he added.

"Well, in any case, the bathroom is all yours," said Hermione. "My aunt Jean and her family will be here shortly, and Mum is insisting that I should help with the ham downstairs."

"Hermione!" called Jane from the kitchen.

"Told you," scowled the witch with a roll of her brown eyes.

"Thank you for the warning," said Severus.

"For what? Me cooking the ham?"

"No, the arrival of the rest of your family," corrected the Potions Master.

Hermione sighed in exasperation. "Honestly, Severus, they won't bite you! The only thing that I don't like about Aunt Jean is that she is far from being my second mother – she'll remind you too much of Narcissa Malfoy."

"Does she know about your secret?" asked Severus.

"Not at all," replied his wife. "So, we really need to be incognito about it. That means you too."

"What do you suggest I go with then if we're going to follow the 'boarding school' story?"

Hermione shrugged her shoulders and answered, "I don't know. With all the cauldrons blowing up in the classroom, chemistry?"

"Very well," said Severus. "I will meet you downstairs soon."

Placing a chaste kiss on her cheek, he strolled into the bathroom with his Muggle clothes in his arms and closed the door behind him. He dropped the pile onto the floor and looked at his reflection in the mirror above the sink. "Why am I doing this?" he muttered to himself.

Meanwhile at the Burrow, Christmas was a little different for the Weasley family that year. To begin with, there was an addition to the family, Bill's wife Fleur who was expecting a little girl in a matter of weeks. Remus and Tonks, who was also pregnant, were invited to spend the holiday with Arthur and Molly at Harry's request. And much to Molly's disgust, Ron invited his ex-girlfriend Lavender Brown to the family lunch as a replacement for Hermione. Not only did this tick off his parents but also Ginny and, secretly, Harry himself.

But while there were several new faces at the table, there were also two empty seats – Fred, who was killed by Death Eaters in the last battle that summer, and, of course, Hermione. As usual for the last several years, Percy remained far from the family as possible and decided to spend the holidays with his fiancé Penelope Clearwater. Charlie was hoping to attend, but his studies in a wizarding part of Africa were consuming most of his life. However, both sons expressed their wishes and blessings in Christmas cards, although Charlie also owled the family a gift along with his card.

Lunch was extremely quiet despite of the large attendance in the house. Arthur sat on one end of the long table while Molly propped herself at the other. To the right hand side of both adults were the two empty seats – one to the left of George and one to the left of Ron.

"Blimey, mate, this feels so weird without having Fred or 'Mione around," whispered Ron to Harry across the table.

"Ronald!" reprimanded his mother. "Let's not discuss about what we have lost, but rather what he have right now."

Harry frowned at his future mother-in-law and looked apologetically at Ginny who was sitting next to him. For days on end during their vacation, the children kept hearing nothing but how Hermione had broken the youngest Weasley son's heart that year and married the least favourite member of the Order instead as part of the Marriage Law. She even went out of her way to try and file an appeal for the Snape's marriage on behalf of Ron, but what was done was now official, regardless of its short-lived rule.

Now just saying Hermione's name around the house was almost taboo like Voldemort's. One mention of it, and Molly was sure to go into hysterics.

The children's faces did not go unnoticed by Arthur or the guests, but no one had the courage – Gryffindor or not – to face the matriarch. Arthur sighed and picked at his food in silence, not bothering to take part of any conversation that one might stir up, although no one dared to speak.

After dinner and Lavender's dismissal from the Burrow, the three Gryffindors went into Harry and Ron's room to chill, but what was supposed to be a time to enjoy their gifts turned to into a time to vent. "I can't believe she has to be so mean to Hermione!" grunted Harry as he kicked an empty soda can against the wall.

"Mum has every right to be, mate!" argued Ron as he looked through his new Quidditch card collection that Arthur bought for him. "She married that filthy git!"

"Will you two can it?" asked Ginny, her blue eyes full of anger as the boys turned their attention to her. "This is exactly why she didn't marry either of you! You would be fighting over her anyway!"

"I wouldn't do that, Gin!" protested Harry. "I love you!"

"Or so you say," hissed the youngest Weasley. "I know, Harry, that you love Hermione as much as you love me, but Ron loved her more. Why? I still don't know!"

"Because… She's Hermione!" answered Ron, although he knew he was lying.

"I still think you wanted to date her because you were living in Harry's shadow all this time and Hermione happened to be the only girl available, that is once you realized she _was_ a girl!" said Ginny icily. "So why not try and bang one of your best friends?"

"Ginny!" scolded Harry.

"It's the truth! I have a pig for a brother! Now I know why Hermione dumped you two months into your relationship!"

"Okay, so she wasn't ready to have sex with me!" groaned Ron in exasperation, throwing his hands up into the air.

"And thus, why you dared to bring that… That slut into this house today!" said Ginny. "And you know Hermione isn't like Mum – she's independent and wants to have a career outside of the house."

"I wouldn't mind sending her to a higher educational insti… insti…"

"Institution," said Harry and Ginny in unison.

"Yeah, that! If she wanted to go for something that involves being away from home, I would support her one-hundred percent!" said Ron.

"Ron, you really wanted her to be a stay-at-home wife to take care of your big herd of children while you're off playing Quidditch," said Harry. "Even though I'm your best mate, I have to agree with Hermione's reason for breaking it up with you. You two were incompatible to begin with. All you do is squabble!"

"Well, if she wasn't such a know-it-all and a teacher's pet," began Ron, "then we wouldn't be fighting most of the time!"

"And you know she won't stop being herself," said Ginny. "Suck it up, Ronald. Hermione will never be Mum's replacement in your life. She butts heads with her as it is. Find someone else."

"Yeah, you're right," grumbled the redheaded wizard.

The trio sat in silence while the minutes passed. Neither wizard nor witch spoke to the other until Harry began to chuckle under his breath. Looking up from his card collection, Ron looked at the Boy-Who-Lived with a confused expression. "What's so funny, Harry?" he asked.

"You were right, mate," said Harry with a smile. "It's weird not having 'Mione around for the holidays. I mean she usually visits her parents for a while and then comes back here to spend New Year's with us and we'd have a late Christmas gathering just for her. It's going to be weird now that she's not with us."

Suddenly, Ginny's head snapped up before she sprung to her feet in excitement. "That's it!" she exclaimed.

"What is?" asked Ron.

"She usually waits to spend Christmas with us here during our last few days of vacation, so why don't we spend it with her now?" suggested the youngest Weasley child.

"Ginny, I don't think that's a good idea," warned Harry. "She's with not only her parents in Muggle London but also with Snape, who already hates us as it is. That and how are we going to get there?"

"Yeah, Gin. I mean Dad won't allow us to drive the new flying car after that accident at Hogwarts six years ago!" added Ron.

"He won't allow _you_, but is _he_ allowed?" countered Ginny with a smirk on her face.

Turning to Harry, Ron looked at his best friend and muttered under his breath, "Are you sure she was sorted into Gryffindor?"

Christmas lunch at the Grangers was something Severus secretly wanted to forget, given the fact that he was not one for large gatherings, but he had to admit there were a few highlights of the day that he was somewhat fond of. As soon as he had come downstairs to help set the table with his wife, Hermione smiled at his clean appearance upon spotting him. He wore a nice pair of black trousers to match his black and green sweater and his black dress shoes, and he did a quick shave, leaving his chin and jaws purely hairless. The only thing that she did notice was his hair – he took the time to wash it thoroughly and pulled the black locks into a short ponytail down the nape of his neck.

"You look charming, Mr. Snape," she purred as she walked by him with a stack of china plates in her hands.

"Why, thank you, Madame Snape," he purred in return, offering his wife some assistance. "Here, let me help you with that before you break something valuable."

In the middle of setting enough places around the dinner table, the couple heard the doorbell chime from the front porch. "That must be Aunt Jean," said Hermione with a sigh of relief.

Sure enough, the more attractive twin of the two sisters walked in with Hugo, her husband of nine years, and their children seven-year-old Michael and four-year-old Emily. Even though Jean was the same age of Jane, she spent most of her post-secondary school years in medicine, thus earning her a Ph.D. and her license to begin her independent family practice eight years later. She never dated during that time, and she had no intentions on starting a family, even when John and Jane married and had Hermione a year later.

Out of the sisters' family, Jean took education seriously and would spend so much money on little Michael's tuition at a private school. His sister would be enrolling the following spring. Thankfully, money was never an issue.

And obviously, she was also the snobbish twin between her and Jane, and, in Severus' opinion, Hermione was right – she had a good chance of giving Narcissa Malfoy a run for her money had the witch still been alive. "Jane, darling!" she called, walking past John who greeted her at the front door and giving her twin sister a hug, casually kissing both sides of her cheeks. "Thank you for inviting me and my family to your Christmas lunch!"

"You're welcome, Jean. Please make yourselves right at home," said Jane with a meek smile. "There are hangers in the closet under the staircase for your coats."

John shook Hugo's hand, both acknowledging each other with a curt nod. "Still alive, I see," he teased.

"Sometimes, she's hard to deal with," groaned his brother-in-law.

"How do you manage?"

"Let her talk first, ask questions later, and always agree to whatever she has to say," replied Hugo without missing a beat.

"And the children?"

"Do you think she would let me have any control over them?" countered Hugo, raising his eyebrow to emphasize his point.

"I'm sorry," said John in his most sincere voice.

"She is just as bad as her father. Speaking of which, is it true that he took Annette to Paris for the holidays?"

"Unfortunately."

"Well, it's fortunate for me, then," said Hugo with a small smile on his face. Turning to his right, he spotted Hermione approaching him with open arms. "Hermione, dear! You look lovely as ever," he greeted, giving his only niece a hug. "Home for the holidays?"

"Only for a while," replied the witch.

"So, why did you have to stay for another year at your school? You were supposed to graduate this past spring, if I remember correctly," inquired Hugo.

Taking his brother-in-law by the arm, John began to escort him away in order to keep Hermione from telling the truth by accident. "Well, Hugo, you know our little Hermione," he began. "She's ever the overachiever of the family, and she refused to graduate with less than all A's, so she took all of her classes over and she's now expecting to excel each and every one of them by May. Isn't that right, poppet?"

"Yes, Dad," replied Hermione, though her voice hinted a sense of regret in the lie.

"I see." This obviously did not go unnoticed by Hugo, but he nevertheless dismissed it with a casual shrug and followed John into the living room where Severus was found sitting in one of the recliners while reading a book from John's library. "And who is this fellow?" he asked.

"This is Severus Snape, Hermione's… fiancé," lied John, giving the Potions Master a knowing look, in which the wizard simply nodded his head in understanding.

"She's engaged?" asked Hugo in surprise.

"Who's engaged?" asked Jean as she, along with Michael and Emily, followed Jane into the living room with a glass of wine in her slender hand.

"Your niece," answered her husband.

Turning her attention to Severus, she extended her hand to him and said seductively, "Congratulations, and welcome to the family."

"Thank you," said Severus coolly, accepting the handshake while watching his aunt-in-law take a long slow sip from her wine glass. He thought it was the lights at first, but he was fairly certain that she winked at him.

She was definitely a Muggle version of Narcissa Malfoy. Oh joy, he thought in disgust.

During the meal, Severus sat between his wife on his left and young Michael on his right. He could not help but notice how the boy was quiet throughout his entire visit with the Grangers. It was as if he truly did not want to be around anybody. He was a very brooding character for a child at his age – brown locks covering his face, dark brown eyes with a hint of black, and a Snape-like scowl on his face. In fact, he had worn that particular scowl ever since he arrived.

Michael was the last one to sit when Jane had called everyone to the dining room to eat, but he was also the first one finished with his meal. Before his mother could reprimand him, he took his plate and walked out of the room, leaving it stacked on the counter next to the sink in the kitchen.

Severus was the second person finished, but he felt no need for dessert any time soon. He turned to Hermione and whispered in her ear, "What's the matter with the boy?"

"I'm not so sure. Why?" she whispered back.

"I'm just curious."

"Well, he never talks to anyone about his problems," began the witch. "Why are you asking? Do you think you can get him to talk to you?"

"I could try." Turning his attention to his parents-in-law, he asked very politely, "May I please be excused from the table?"

"Why ask, Severus, when you can freely leave whenever you want to?" purred Jean.

"I did not ask for your opinion. I believe I was talking to Jane and John, not you," growled Severus.

The slender woman pouted and took another sip of her wine. Severus had a gut feeling that she would be drunk before the night was over, and he was praying to the deities above that he would not have to deal with her either.

"Jean is right, though. You don't have to ask," said Jane with a smile. "Of course, you may be excused!"

"Thank you, _Jane_," said Severus with a curt bow, sneaking a glare at the insufferable beauty across the table before he exited the room.

Jean, however, smirked before she sipped on her glass once again. "My, my, Hermione. He _is_ a feisty one," she giggled.

"Severus has his moments," said Hermione as she tried to hold back a lash at her aunt for flirting around with her wizard.

"I'm sure he's good in the sack," added the doctor. "You're quite a lucky woman, my dear. If only Hugo still had that same air your fiancé has."

"Jean, now is not the time to discuss about our sex life," admonished Hugo.

"Sex life?" snorted the brunette woman. "What sex life? You haven't touched me for over five years, not since I told you that I was pregnant for our daughter! Do you know how lonely it has been for me ever since you took that job and left me at home with our children for weeks each time you had to leave the country?"

"Jean, that is enough!" roared John from his end of the table. "This is my daughter's fiancé you are talking about! Leave them be!"

"And I think you had one too many drinks," added Jean, snatching the wine glass from her twin sister. "For a doctor with her family, I'm ashamed at your behavior," she said, nodding toward the direction of Emily, who barely understood what was happening at the moment.

Just like her niece whenever she was angry, Jean huffed and crossed her arms over her chest, although she had a small smile on her luscious lips when Hermione walked out of the room in anger.

Meanwhile, Severus found the small boy sitting in John's favorite recliner looking bored and angry. Well, perhaps it was anger at first, but as he approached the child, he noticed that Michael was actually sad about something. For a very brief moment, the Potions Master could see a younger him in that chair back in his childhood days, but he quickly dismissed that image with a shake of his head.

Kneeling down next to the boy, he asked softly, "Are you okay?"

The child wordlessly shook his head, continuing to ignore the strange sallow man next to him.

"Will you tell me what's wrong?" asked Severus.

Michael did not reply and remained silent. He did not feel comfortable talking to a stranger, even though he heard that this man was engaged to his cousin, a cousin who he never associated with and barely knew. Besides, what did this man know that could help him?

Severus, however, knew it was a battle he could never win and simply gave up talking to the boy, walking out of the living with a heavy sigh until he finally heard a timid voice from behind speak up. "I hate my family."

Turning on his heel, the wizard looked at Michael, his eyes filled with no emotion and his lips pursed tight and firm. "You do?" he asked. "Why do you hate them?"

"Well, not the entire family, but mainly my mother," replied Michael. "She expects me to be the perfect son and to set a good example for Emily, but how can I if she is not acting like a good role model?"

"Touché," said Severus. "And your father?"

"I can care less about him," snorted Michael. "He's never home when I needed him the most. He hasn't been to a single football game of mine during the season, not even the championship when my team made it all the way and took the city title. And when he is home, he doesn't know what to do with me. He can't relate to me, you know?"

"I know that pain," said Severus solemnly, "having growing up in an environment somewhat like yours. At least you do have a father that still loves you."

Neither man nor child spoke until the boy ended the awkward silence between then. "Have you ever felt that you don't belong for some reason?" he asked.

"Yes," answered the wizard. "Have you?"

"Yes," replied the boy.

"Why do you think you're different?"

Glancing at the man, Michael leaned over and said, "Promise me that you won't tell anyone what I'm about to show you."

Severus pondered several possibilities of what he was about to witness, but nevertheless, he said, "I promise."

"Well, I'm different because… Of this."

Michael focused on one of John's novels from his little library and magically took the book off of the shelf without using a wand, levitating it in the air. Then, with the motion of his brown eyes, he summoned the book to float into Severus' hands.

Severus looked at the object and then turned his gaze to the boy, although his stony expression remained unchanged. "You know magic, don't you, boy?" he asked.

"Yes," replied Michael.

"How?"

"A woman came to me in my dream many years ago like an angel," he answered.

No, thought Severus as Hermione's memory came into his mind parallel to Michael's response. It can't be her!

Leaning closer to the boy, the Potions Master said gruffly, "Tell me about this woman."

The boy looked at the man for the first time, his expression never changing as he began to describe the mysterious woman of his dream. "She had red hair and green eyes that sparkled like emeralds," said Michael. "She didn't look like those ugly witches on the telly, but she was very pretty."

"Did she have a black robe and a yellow and orange scarf?" asked Severus.

"Yes," replied Michael. "Do you know her?"

"You could say that," said Severus, "but there's someone else that I know who had a similar dream when she was quite young."

"Who is she?" asked the boy.

"I…" began the Potions Master. Before he could continue, Hermione stepped into the living room to check up on her cousin. "Are you two having a good time?" she asked.

"Michael is quite a character," said Severus. Walking over to his wife, he whispered in her ear, "May I speak with you in private, Miss Granger?"

Hermione shuddered and gave Severus a confused look when she heard the icy tone in his voice. "Yes," she replied, following his long strides to her father's private library. When Severus closed the doors behind him, she turned on her heels and snapped, "What's going on?"

"Are you certain you have no magical heritage in your family?" asked Severus as he began to pace in front of the witch.

"I'm positive!" answered Hermione. "Why do you ask? What's going on with Michael?"

"Lily came to him the same way she came to you!" said Severus, coming to a straight halt in his tracks. "Your cousin is a wizard, Hermione! Are you sure your mother has no trace of magic in her blood?"

"I'm very certain, Severus," said Hermione, her voice full of confidence. "I researched our family tree back before I began my first year at Hogwarts. When my parents received my letter on my eleventh birthday, we spent the entire year looking through the ancestry of my family from both sides! No one was a wizard or a witch!"

"Do you have any idea why Lily would come to your cousin then?" asked Severus.

"I don't know," shrugged the witch. "It's not like he can play a big role in this war. For Merlin's sake, Severus, he's only seven!" She sat on the edge of her father's desk, pressing two fingers against her temple. "I don't know why she even came to me in the first place. I'm still confused."

"Perhaps to keep her son on the right path," said Severus softly as he embraced her and held her against him in a comforting hug.

"Well, I am the brains of his many operations," snorted Hermione, "yet I still can't figure out wizard's chess."

"And you make sure he stays on top of his homework too," added the Potions Master.

"There's a reason behind it!" said Hermione.

"Like there's a reason for Michael being a wizard," said Severus. "If I knew why, I could tell you, but I don't. Though, with time, he could be proven to be useful to the wizarding world in the end."

"You really think so?" asked Hermione.

"If brains like yours run through your mother's family, I know so," said Severus with a smirk.

Hermione blushed but found herself being called away from her husband's company by her mother. Rolling her eyes, the witch walked out of the library, muttering under her breath, "Why can't they leave me alone for a few minutes?"

Severus shook his head in amusement and began to follow his wife when he opened the doors to find his aunt-in-law standing at the threshold, and to his dismay, drunk from too much wine consumption. "Sssseverusssss," she slurred as she took a step forward toward the dark wizard.

The Potions Master slowly backed away from Jean until he found himself against John's desk. Damn, he thought. This can't be good!

Jean followed him, swaying her hips as she walked, and stood between his legs, pushing herself against him. "You know, I alwaysssss tttthhhhought you were a ssssssexy man," she giggled.

"Oh really?" gulped Severus, silently praying that someone would get this woman away from him, most likely his wife with a hex or two.

"Yesssss," replied Jean. Without warning, her right hand found his crotch and began to massage his nether regions, forcing him to become aroused by her touch. "It hasssss been yearsssss sssssince I felt like tttthhhhhissssss," she slurred. "Hugo won't touch me anymore; he'sssssss too bussssssy for me."

"But Hermione –"

"Why can't my neicccccccceeeee find ssssssomeone her age?" asked Jean. "Why did ssssssshe choossssssseeeeee you?"

Before Severus could utter a word, her lips captured his in a fierce kiss and he felt her slender fingers undoing the fly to his pants. Oh please, somebody, he thought, please get this drunken chit off of me!

Pulling away from her face, he closed his eyes and gritted his teeth as he felt his boxers being lowered, but luckily his semi-erection did not spring out like he was afraid it would. Instead, his heart stopped when he heard Hermione scream, "Aunt Jean, you get away from my fiancé this instant!"

The doctor turned to find the young witch standing outside of the library doors with fire in her brown eyes. "You can't have him!" she cried out in protest. "You're too young to marry!"

"And you have a husband and two children who need you!" admonished Hermione. "I'm ashamed of you! Get away from Severus right now! He's mine!"

Jean dug her heels deeper into the carpeted floor but was pushed away by Severus as he marched past the drunk doctor and took his wife into his arms, quickly fixing his pants with his back turned. "Thank you for saving my arse," he whispered.

"Be thankful I didn't hex her into oblivion," hissed Hermione.

Hugo had seen everything as well when he followed his niece into her father's private library. Taking his wife by the arm, he pulled her toward him and in a harsh tone, he said, "We're leaving now, Jean. I'm tired of this rubbish! You have embarrassed our family as well as your sister's! Come! We're going home!"

"But, but, but Hugo!" pleaded the doctor.

"Michael! Emily! We're leaving!" called Hugo.

Minutes after Jean and her family departed, the Grangers and the Snapes sat in the living room, still feeling slightly mortified by the doctor's actions. Jane and John took their place in their respective recliners whereas Hermione and Severus shared the couch, though they occupied each end with an empty cushion between them. "I can't believe she did that," said Jane. Looking up at Severus, she said with pleading eyes, "Forgive me, Severus. She's normally not like this!"

With a dismissing wave of the hand, the Potions Master nodded his head. "I completely understand, Jane," he said coolly.

"But I don't!" snapped Hermione. "She had no business being around my wizard like that!"

Her wizard, thought Severus in surprise. Since when was I ever _her_ wizard!

"That is true, Hermione, but don't blame Severus for this," said John. "He didn't mean to put himself in that position."

"He could have at least yelled for help!"

"Either way, he could have been caught with his pants down," said Jane, painfully blushing at the thought, "regardless how quickly we would respond to his call."

"But he could have walked away!"

"Hermione, when your aunt Jean is drunk like that, there's no telling what could happen if Severus escaped," chuckled John.

"Dad, it was almost as if he liked the idea of Aunt Jean sucking off his –"

"Hermione Jane!" scolded the dentists.

"Well, it's true!" huffed the brunette witch, folding her arms over her chest as she fumed.

"May we please forget that this ever happened before I grab my wand and erase that dreaded memory inside all of our minds?" groaned Severus, pinching the bridge of his nose.

"Wise idea, Severus," said John, feeling a sense of being uncomfortable with the discussion.

A few seconds later, the quartet heard the doorbell ring on the front porch. Jane glanced at the clock on the mantel, noting that it was 7:43, and said, "I wonder who that could be at a time like this."

Walking to the front door, she was soon greeted by Harry, Ron, Ginny, and Arthur. "Happy Christmas, Mrs. Granger!" they said.

"Thank you! Hang on one moment," she said smiling. Leaning over toward the living room, she called, "Hermione! You have some company!"

Hermione exchanged glances with her husband and shrugging her shoulders, she exited the room only to find some familiar faces at the door. "Happy Christmas, 'Mione!" greeted Harry. "We couldn't celebrate it at the Burrow without you."

"So, we brought Christmas to you!" added Ron. "Happy Christmas, 'Mione!"

Tears filled the young woman's eyes as she rushed over to her friends and greeted them with a hug. Holding the two boys tight in her arms, she mumbled something along the lines of "Thank you very much!"

"'Mione, we brought you some gifts," said Ginny with her father standing next to her, his arms full with several wrapped packages. "Before the Marriage Law, Mum was expecting you to visit this year, and we were able to salvage them before she threw a tirade."

"Is that why she's not here?" asked Hermione.

"She's still upset that you turned down Ron for Severus," explained Arthur. "She really wanted you to be a part of our family."

"Even though you still are," said Harry. "Ron and I finally understand why you picked Snape. And while we might not like the git, despite of all that he had done for us, we'll support you, 'Mione."

"Speaking of the git, where is he?" asked Ron.

"Maybe the git you speak of, Mr. Weasley, is standing right behind you," said a cold silkily voice from behind.

The youngest Weasley son's face had turned a bright shade of white, nearly jumping out of his skin when he heard his least favorite professor's voice. Slowly turning around, Ron waved at Severus and hid behind Harry for protection. The Boy-Who-Lived rolled his green eyes and snapped at his best friend, "Come on, Ron! It's not like he's going to bite you!"

"Hard!" whined Ron.

"Your immaturity still astounds me, Mr. Weasley," sneered Severus, taking his wife by the arm and escorting her to the living room. "I'm sure Mr. and Mrs. Granger would like to have a warm house tonight."

"Severus is right, though," said Jane as she took their winter coats, hats, scarves, and gloves. "Come in and make yourselves right at home! Would you kids like some hot tea?"

"Yes, please, Mrs. Granger," chimed the trio.

"And you, Mr. Weasley?" asked the female dentist, looking at Arthur.

"What kind did you make?" asked Arthur.

"Mint flavored."

"Certainly! My favourite!"

"That reminds me, we never opened our gifts from Jean and her family," observed John upon noticing the gifts Ginny brought into the room with her.

"Why not?" asked Harry.

Hermione shook her head and allowed a small giggle to escape from her mouth. "If only you were here," she replied.

Five minutes later, the group of Gryffindors sat around in a circle on the floor laughing at the story of her drunk aunt trying to seduce Severus. Ron and Harry howled with laughter, not noticing the scowl that was playing on the Potions Master's lips as the older wizard sat on the couch behind his wife, permitting her to lean her back against his long legs. "You mean, 'Mione, to tell me that your husband attracted your aunt!" chuckled Harry, occasionally gasping for air and holding his sides.

"Well, yes," shrugged Hermione, taking note of the sneer she was receiving from above yet smiling at him sheepishly.

"Your aunt must have some strange…" Looking up at his professor and faking a cough, Ron quickly corrected himself with, "I mean, err, some good taste in men!"

"Ronald, she's already married," groaned the brunette witch. "She just had too much to drink, that's all."

"Well, Hermione, as much as we really want to stay here, you know how Molly can be," said Arthur. "So, children, why don't we exchange gifts and then head back home."

"How did you get here in the first place?" asked Jane.

"Hermione never told you about a car I rigged up with magic?" asked Arthur in amazement.

"Dad made this one invisible from being spotted by Muggles, and he made it fly," explained Ron to the dentists.

"This wouldn't happen to be the same car you, Mr. Potter, and your insufferable twin brothers drove to Hogwarts at the beginning of your second year, in which you failed to arrive on the Hogwarts Express with your fellow classmates, and then crashing into a tree outside the castle?" asked Severus, raising one long eyebrow.

"Not really, sir," replied Harry. "Arthur created a new one after his first car decided to reside in the Forbidden Forest."

"But Dad drove us here!" added Ginny.

"I wouldn't doubt it, considering how incompetent you were driving a vehicle at the time and perhaps still are," remarked Severus, earning himself a glare from his wife at his feet.

"Regardless of their knowledge, I had no desire telling my parents about the car," said Hermione, "considering that I knew better than to do something stupid like that! I mean honestly, boys! You knew you would probably get caught, even though Harry needed out of the Dursley's house somehow!"

"It was the best thing we could come up with other than flying across Muggle London on our brooms!" defended Ron.

"But Hermione does make a good point," said Arthur sternly to his son. "And I'm still driving you kids back home tonight, so don't even ask."

"Yes, Dad," muttered the two Weasley children.

"Well, then, I believe this gift belongs to you, Hermione," said Arthur as he handed one wrapped gift in maroon to the young woman.

Hermione began to feel around the package, noting how light it was but nevertheless came to a conclusion of what it could be. "Did Molly make it?" she asked as she began to undo the red ribbon.

"Why would you assume that?" asked Arthur.

"Because who else would make me another red knitted sweater with an 'H' in the center?" asked Hermione as she pulled out her present and showed it off to her friends and family.

"Now this is sweater number seven?" chuckled John, flinching from his wife's playful swat on his right arm.

"And for you, Professor," said Harry as he gave Severus a small white box with green ribbon. "We didn't have time to think of an actual present for you, and we don't really know much about you other than what we have heard, but it's the thought that counts, right? I guess you could say this is our way of saying thank you for all you have done, sir. For protecting us whenever we were in trouble, and for what you have done for Hogwarts and to our world."

Severus looked over the little box in his hand, shocked that someone like Harry Potter, the Boy-Who-Lived and the son of his teenage rival, dared to give him a present on Christmas. Usually, Gryffindors would pull a prank on him by leaving a little bucket of shampoo and conditioner as well as scented oils and body wash outside of his office door, and when he was still alive, Albus would give him a pair of socks with some lemon drops inside, never concealing his secrecy to say in the least.

But this… This made the great dark wizard begin to form a lump in his throat. He wasn't expecting this at all, not from Harry, not from the Weasleys, not from anyone other than Hermione, although he knew she was not in on this.

Hermione, on the other hand, helped him out of reverie and said with a giggle, "Well, open it, Severus!"

Pulling the end of the green ribbon, the Potions Master slowly unwrapped his gift, uncovering what seemed to be a giant silver Slytherin serpent in the form of a belt buckle, but he knew this buckle was not cheap one bit. In fact, it, along with the other three house buckles, was usually given to someone from the house who was seen with such respect by housemates and classmates alike, and it was not necessarily given to just students but also to retiring staff members.

Not that he was planning to retire or anything.

Glancing up at the quartet, Severus simply asked as he was holding back his tears of joy, "Where did you get this?"

"Let's just say that a little ferret helped us out," replied Harry with a smile.

"Malfoy?" asked Hermione in surprise.

"He has been owling us lately," said Ron. "I don't know why other than we saved his family's arse back in the summer, but from how we have been reading his letters, he's wanting to go back to Hogwarts soon."

"How strange indeed," murmured Severus. Looking at his gift, he said under his breath, "Thank you, Potter."

"What did you say, Professor?" taunted Harry. "I didn't quite hear you."

"Must I need to enlarge your ears to the size of an elephant's, Potter?" snarled dark wizard. "I said 'thank you.'"

"Sounds like Snape's back," joked Ron.

"Oh! I didn't get you guys anything!" said Hermione.

"That's okay, Hermione," said Ginny. "Just being able to see your face today is good enough."

"Are you guys sure? I mean I could always make some biscuits or something!"

"We're sure," said Harry as he gave her an assuring smile. "Just being about to see that warm smile on your face tonight made our Christmas better."

Hermione rushed to her friends and gave each of them a hug with tears rolling down her cheeks. "Thank you, guys! I miss you a lot!"

Before they left, Arthur cast an invisible charm on the trio, the car, and then himself as they began to leave the Granger residence. Hermione walked them out to the front door, trailing behind Ron. Since he was the last to leave, he turned to his ex-girlfriend and said, "'Mione, I'm sorry things went out of control. It's just that… I still love you, and I was upset that you chose to marry Snape instead of me."

"Ronald," began Hermione.

But Ron interrupted her once again and said, "Please, 'Mione! Forgive me, at least."

The witch drew the redheaded wizard into a hug and said softly, "I forgive you, Ronald."

"I hope he treats you well."

"He does," replied Hermione, "but this doesn't mean he'll be soft on you and Harry."

"I didn't expect him to," chuckled Ron.

"Ron!" called Arthur from the car. "We have to go now before your mother sends a howler this way!"

"Gotta go," said Ron, pulling out of Hermione's embrace and hopped into the car next to Harry. As the quartet waved goodbye to the witch, they were able to have a running start on the road before the wheels rose from the asphalt and the car was flying in midair, only visible to the magical eye.

Hermione, on the other hand, watched the car fly into the distance like Captain Hook's pirate ship, wiping away tears from her eyes. Yes, this was indeed one of the best Christmases she had ever celebrated, despite of her aunt's embarrassing behavior that afternoon.

"Hermione! You got some more presents to open! Come in, dear, before you catch a cold!" called Jane from the foyer.

"Yeah," said Hermione, though her mother did not hear the reply.

Nearly minutes before midnight, Severus walked into the bedroom to find Hermione reading her new book about house elves that he had given her downstairs in front of her parents. He debated all afternoon whether or not he should wait to give her the other gift, as well as telling her the good news he found out that very morning. "Enjoying it so far?" he asked as he began to discard his clothing, save his black boxers.

The only response he got from his wife was a mere nod of the head as she flipped the page and read the text.

"Hermione?" he asked, verbally prodding her to answer his question with her lips for he found her gesture to be rather rude. "Well?"

"Yes!" replied the witch. "Severus, why do _you_ think house elves refuse to be free?"

"They have served many families for years, Hermione," explained the Potions Master as he slipped into bed next to her, holding the small black box in his hand that his wife did not notice from the corner of her eye. "Wizards learn to treat elves with respect and compassion, and they expect their offspring and the future generations to do the same. Thus, with such loyalty that the elves share with their masters represents the bond between them, and it is such a strong bond, why should house elves be free?"

"But Dolby was killed when he was trying to save Harry! If he was free, he would be still alive!" argued Hermione.

"It was Dolby's wish to protect Potter from the Dark Lord just like it is my duty," said Severus. "But Dolby and his ancestors served Potter's family from his father's side for years, long before Harry's birth, up until Lucius took him in after James and Lily were killed. The only way he would have been freed was through death."

"I see," replied Hermione. "But why did Lucius take him?"

"There are many assumptions such as sympathy or the thought of taking prisoners of war, if you will," said Severus. "Perhaps, to Lucius, Dolby was like loot to a pirate."

"Yet he had no right!"

"But what could a little baby do? Potter was too young to inherit anything, including the ownership of a house elf."

"I still don't like the idea of having elves as personal servants," said Hermione sternly. "To me, it sounds like owning slaves during the time of the slave trade."

"True, but elves like Dolby are understanding and very obedient," said Severus. "Not to mention, they can grant any realistic wish as your request such as food and drinks. Yes, they do get punished for their wrongdoings, but as long as they obey, then they will get rewarded greatly.

"House elves, unlike human, slaves don't need money, and as you noticed, they don't need many materialistic objects as such to live on. They are like the average house pet, but they do more like you and me. And don't underestimate their knowledge, as you have found out. They know more than us because they can see everything that the eye can't perceive."

Hermione nodded her head as she tried to understand the wizard's stance on house elves. She was so selfish in years past that she overlooked their reason why they liked to be servants rather than being free. Then, a thought struck her – was Severus exposed to having elves in his home?

Surely, he must have had one, she thought. Why else would he defend them like this? "Do you have a house elf at your home?" she asked.

"I'm afraid I don't," sighed Severus sadly. "Growing up in a Muggle environment, why have one? My mother's family, however, owned one or two, but I have no way of contacting my grandfather and grandmother Prince, and they have no interest in associating themselves with me."

"Why?" asked Hermione, taking her husband by the hand.

"When Mother married that rotten sot for a father, they severed all ties with her, which included myself," replied Severus softly. "I never knew the Prince family, only the Snapes."

"Oh," said the witch, feeling saddened by the cruelty of his grandparents. "Did you try talking to them after… well, you know?"

"You mean after Father killed my mother with his bare hands?" sneered Severus. "Why would I bother owling them then? From what I heard, they thought Mother got what she deserved."

"That's horrible!" cried Hermione. "No parent should feel that way toward their own child!"

"What about my father?" asked Severus. "Is he an exception?"

"Well, no," answered Hermione thoughtfully. "He shouldn't have treated you or your mother like that in any case."

"But he did," sighed Severus as he recalled his least favorite memories, which were quite a bit to list, of his childhood at Spinner's End.

Hermione nodded her head and returned to her reading until she finished the chapter that she was on, placing the book on her nightstand next to their wands. "You know, Severus," she began, "you really never gave me a straight answer to my question."

"Which question?" asked Severus.

"You know, about _her_?"

If someone told the dreaded Potions Master that he would freeze up every time anything pertaining to Lily Evans-Potter was mentioned, he would most likely give them a nasty hex in retaliation. Sure enough, his hands started to get clammy and his body began to lightly tremble. "Well, I, uh…" he stammered.

"Severus?" prodded Hermione.

"Fine! I loved the woman!" he barked, unable to control his composure.

"I know that," groaned the witch, pinching the bridge of her nose.

"Yes, well, I can't help it that I have been fantasizing about her for a long time," muttered Severus.

"What?" asked Hermione. "Severus, you know she's not coming back!"

"I know," sighed the wizard as he sunk further into the pillows. "It's just that my feelings for her runs deeper than others."

"Like me?"

Severus reached over and took his wife's right hand into his left. "Hermione," he began, "you're still young to understand this, but I hope you will listen to me before you make any conclusions. I did love Lily; I loved her for a long time, perhaps when we first met as children. I never had the chance to ask her out because we were just too young to be in a serious relationship.

"By the time we were both fifth year students, I decided it was time to make that witch mine, but unfortunately, it was the same time I ruined our friendship."

"Because of one little word," said Hermione softly.

"The same word I refuse to use around you and some of your other classmates at Hogwarts," said Severus. "She never got over it and wouldn't forgive me back then. Potter and Black made sure that I could never be near her. One look at her, and they were back to their tricks – hexing me because I was different."

"Do you think she would ever forgive you?" asked the witch.

"Perhaps, since she did grow up a bit after we graduated," replied Severus, "but then again, perhaps not. She was always one who took grudges seriously."

"But do you still love her more than me?"

The dark wizard was half-expecting an outburst of rage and anger from the little brunette woman sitting next to him. He was also half-expecting the waterworks to come on and flood her pretty little face. But neither possibility happened.

Instead, he was receiving a cold stare from her brown eyes.

Taking a deep breath, he resentfully sighed and answered, "Yes."

What happened next, he was not expecting at all. From the corner of his black eye, he watched his wife turn her head away and muttered from under her breath, "That bitch!"

He whipped his head in surprise, his black hair slightly touching his face. "What did you say?" he asked coolly.

"I don't see how you could love someone like that," answered Hermione. "One minute, they're your best friend, and then they're cold as ice the next!"

"Lily wasn't that cold!" growled Severus, feeling a sense of anger burning in his veins.

"Severus, if she was indeed your friend, she would have gotten over it!"

"Did you not hear me, you insufferable know-it-all?"

"Yes, I heard you loud and clear!" snapped Hermione. "But listen to yourself, Severus! You fantasize about a woman who got angry over one petty word – derogative but still petty – and she's not coming back! Don't you honestly think it's time for you to move on with your life? You're married now because of some stupid law that we didn't want to be involved with in the first place – one that was abolished a little too late – and you're expected to be a father soon! What if you were married to some other witch who was not as understanding and stubborn as me? How would she react if you kept thinking about Lily?"

"I can't help it if I see parallels between the two of you!" barked Severus. "Both of you are very competent in Potions, although you are brilliant in other subjects, you came from Muggle families, although she was shunned from hers whereas your parents are always proud of their little princess, and you have a friendship with the Potter family! Your personalities match – motherly, bossy, short-tempered, intolerance toward stupidity… caring, supportive… loving…"

As she watched his face grow long and his gaze shifted to the hands on his lap, Hermione scooted closer to her husband and placed her right hand on his bare shoulder. "Severus," she began, "just because we are alike doesn't mean you have to think of me as her all the time. For one, I will never _ever_ have red hair or green eyes, and for two, I will love you no matter what, even if you do call me a 'Mudblood'. I've heard it before and I've gotten over it for years now, thanks to Malfoy. I'm practically immune to that insult, but you haven't seen me cry about it for a long time."

"But I don't deserve you," countered Severus, softly.

"No, you don't, but that doesn't mean you can't have a second chance. You asked me to give you one, and here it is, right in front of you. If you feel that there is no love in this marriage, then so be it. We can always base it on something as trivial as sex if need be. But if Lily was still alive, I feel that she would be saying the same thing – move on and be happy."

Turning away from his harsh face, Hermione finished her lecture with, "But if you think that Lily was the only thing that could make you happy, then you have some serious growing up to do."

Normally, if someone said something of the sort to his face, Severus would indeed hurt them for damaging his character, but he could not bring himself to do that, not to Hermione.

And not with the flash of Lily's image in her place that his black eyes had seen. He was right about the parallels he had drawn for her – they were too much alike. But, moreover, if there were a trace of Lily that he saw that night, it would have been his wife's demeanor during their conversation.

After all, Lily would have probably said the very same thing, he thought. She had grown to love Potter, so why do I hold myself back from loving someone else? I'd only be letting myself down, let alone her.

"You're right," he said gruffly.

Hermione's head snapped up upon hearing those two words. "What did you say?" she asked.

"I said that you were right," replied Severus sourly. "Lily might not have wanted a life with me, but she would be saying the same thing if all I did was turn down ever witch who wanted me just because of her. Merlin, you're right – I need to grow up and get over her!"

"Oh, Severus!" she sighed as she nuzzled her head against his arm. "I'm glad you finally see some reason behind this."

"Just remember, Madame Snape, that it will be hard for me to do this. I have spent most of my life longing for her, even though to the wizarding world that is just a small fraction in terms of longevity, but you do make a valuable point – I shouldn't be spending the rest of my life mourning and kicking myself in the arse. I should be enjoying life to the fullest until the day I die.

"And with that, you do have my permission to hex me all you want if I speak her name in my sleep," he added with a smirk.

Hermione smiled tenderly and said, "I don't think hexing you will solve everything, even in your sleep, but thank you, Severus. I'm very sure Lily understands."

Time passed by slowly and the couple laid there in silence until Severus handed over the small box to his wife. "You know, there was one gift I didn't give to you tonight," he said. "I really hope you like it."

"Now, Severus, why wouldn't I?" giggled the witch as she placed a chaste kiss on his sallow cheek. "You already gave me a book. Did you get me another?"

"No, but something better," he answered as he watched her open the gift box.

Hermione uncovered the golden pendant from beneath the black lid, revealing a beautiful crest of gold, silver, ruby, and emerald. Divided diagonally were the lion and the serpent of Gryffindor and Slytherin houses, the lion in gold and ruby and the serpent in silver and emerald. As far as she could remember, no one had ever created such piece of work representing the two houses.

Then again, she never heard of a Gryffindor being married to a Slytherin according to _Hogwarts: A History_.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Severus softly, silently praying to whatever deity was above that she loved the gift.

"I… I don't know what to think," murmured his wife. "It's beautiful!"

"I think," began the Potions Master, "that it would look more beautiful on you." Taking the necklace out of the box, he placed it around Hermione's slender neck and fastened the clip at the nape.

Toying with the crest pendant, the witch gave a small smile to her husband and placed a kiss on his lips. "I love it," she said. "Thank you, Severus."

Suddenly, she felt a sense of sadness rush over her as she looked down at her hands to conceal her emotions. "But, I didn't get anything for you," she confessed softly. "I know I'm married to you, but I don't know much about you and your interests. I'm sorry I disappointed you."

"That's all right, Madame Snape," replied Severus with a small smirk. "I already know what it is anyway."

"Did you not hear me, Severus?" asked Hermione. "I said…" She abruptly stopped when his words finally hit her in the face. "What in Merlin's beard are you talking about?" she asked with a hint of surprise in her voice.

Grabbing his wand from her nightstand, he pushed her onto her back and lifted her nightgown, placing the wooden tip against her belly. "You'll see," he whispered as he muttered an incantation under his breath.

Hermione watched the wand glow a white aura and then quickly turned to a light shade of blue before her brown eyes. She gasped as she realized what it meant.

Her gift to Severus that night was a son! She was pregnant with Severus' son!

"But how?" she asked.

"I did a quick pregnancy test this morning while you were sleeping after Morpheus decided to have some fun with my dream this morning," replied her husband sourly. "It would seem this child was conceived less than twenty-four hours ago."

"But what about my schooling? I'm only –"

"A seventh year student and Head Girl with a lot of responsibilities," finished Severus. "Yes, I've heard it all. But, Hermione, you are just in the first week of your nine-month journey, love. Everything will be fine by the time graduation arrives. Merlin, you might not be showing much by then!"

"You mean you're not mad?" asked Hermione.

"Merlin, no!" answered Severus. "But suffice it to say, I'm not happy either. Remember, my dear, we only need one child to keep this marriage valid. Otherwise, we'll be here in this very room with our wands snapped in half. I know you don't want that, do you?"

The witch shook her head. "And I know the wizarding world can't live without you, not as long as You-Know-Who is still alive."

"Unfortunately," muttered the wizard as he reached over and turned off the lamp on the nightstand. "Get some sleep, Madame Snape," he ordered with a yawn. "Your parents will be in for a surprise come the morning, and Merlin knows what your mother might have planned up her sleeve."

"Of course, Mr. Snape," jested his wife, placing a chaste kiss on his left cheek as she snuggled into his embrace. "Happy Christmas, Severus."

"Happy Christmas to you too, Hermione," said Severus. Looking down at the sleeping witch in his arms, he allowed a small smile on his lips as he closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep.

That Christmas night, he dreamt about teaching a young sallow boy like himself with greasy raven locks but also brown eyes and a less hook of a nose the appreciation of the subtle science and exact art that was potion-making, whereas she dreamt about teaching the same boy the appreciation of books – Muggle and magical – and how to do simple household chores without using a wand.

And for once in his long and stressful life, Lily Evans-Potter did not invade his dream that very night.

Hmmm… Methinks these long chapters are getting tiring for my readers. Sorry! Don't forget to read and review!

TheGoodWitchoftheNorth


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